Several board members of California Common Cause have resigned as the state’s Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, pushes to redraw California’s congressional map to counter Republicans’ redistricting efforts in Texas.
Politico first reported the resignations, adding that it wasn’t clear how many members of the nonprofit group’s advisory board in California had quit.
Why It Matters
Republicans in Texas, encouraged by President Donald Trump, catalyzed a nationwide redistricting battle with their effort to strengthen GOP control ahead of next year’s elections. Texas is poised to approve a new congressional map on Wednesday that could deliver five additional seats to the GOP in the U.S. House of Representatives.
In response to Texas, Newsom kicked off a Democratic-led redistricting effort in his state to offset Republican gains in the House. The redistricting process works differently in California than in Texas, requiring voters’ approval to redraw congressional maps mid-cycle.
Newsom and Democrats have urged voters in California to green-light their move, saying it’s necessary to push back against Republican gerrymandering. Newsom has repeatedly said that he would call off his redistricting push if Texas Republicans did the same.
Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP
What To Know
Virginia Kase Solomón, the president and CEO of Common Cause, confirmed that multiple members of California Common Cause’s advisory board had resigned, telling Politico they left “after expressing disagreement with the fairness criteria” that Common Cause’s national board created as guardrails surrounding the proposed mid-decade redistricting that California Democrats are pushing.
“Their perspectives have been valuable, and we are grateful for their service,” Solomón added.
What People Are Saying
Texas Democrats wrote on X: “Thank you, President @BarackObama, for joining Texas House Democrats today. Your words reminded us why we broke quorum: Democracy isn’t self-executing. It requires us to stand up and fight for it. We’re honored by your support.”
Newsom said in a speech last week: “We need to stand up—not just California. Other blue states need to stand up.”
Christian Martinez, spokesperson for the National Republican Congressional Committee, said in a statement responding to Newsom: “Gavin Newsom’s latest stunt has nothing to do with Californians and everything to do with consolidating radical Democrat power, silencing California voters, and propping up his pathetic 2028 presidential pipe dream. Newsom’s made it clear: he’ll shred California’s Constitution and trample over democracy – running a cynical, self-serving playbook where Californians are an afterthought and power is the only priority.”
What Happens Next
California Democrats unveiled a proposal that could give the party an additional five U.S. House seats in a bid to win the fight to control of Congress next year. If voters approve the plan in November, it could erase nearly every Republican House member in the coastal state.
Democrats currently hold 43 of the state’s 52 House seats. If the proposal is greenlit, the number of Democratic-held seats could go up to 48, leaving just four Republican-controlled districts.
