Newsom’s Map Could Eliminate Five GOP Strongholds in California/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ California Gov. Gavin Newsom and state Democrats unveiled a redistricting plan that could erase up to five Republican congressional seats. The proposal comes as part of a nationwide partisan battle over gerrymandering, with Democrats seeking to offset GOP-led redistricting efforts in Texas. Republicans warn the move undermines California’s independent redistricting commission.
California Redistricting Quick Looks
- Democrats currently hold 43 of 52 House seats in California.
- Newsom’s proposed maps could add five more Democratic seats.
- Plan targets Republican-held districts in Northern California, the Central Valley, and Southern California suburbs.
- GOP lawmakers warn Newsom is dismantling the Independent Redistricting Commission.
- Rep. Doug LaMalfa’s District 1: flips from +17 GOP advantage to +10 Democratic.
- Rep. Kevin Kiley’s District 3: flips from +6 GOP to +8 Democratic.
- Rep. David Valadao’s District 22: adds +6 Democratic tilt to already tough district.
- Rep. Ken Calvert’s District 41: sees +20 Democratic advantage, essentially unwinnable for GOP.
- Rep. Darrell Issa’s District 48: shifts from Trump +15 in 2024 to Harris +3.
- Republicans call the plan a “power grab” opposed by most Californians.
- Democrats frame the proposal as a counter to GOP gerrymandering in Texas.
Deep Look: California Democrats Target Five GOP Seats in Redistricting Battle
SACRAMENTO, CALIF. — California Democrats are moving aggressively to cement their dominance in Congress, unveiling a redistricting plan that could flip up to five Republican-held seats, significantly reshaping the state’s political map ahead of the 2026 midterms.
The plan, championed by Governor Gavin Newsom, directly challenges California’s Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission by seeking voter approval to override its maps. The new proposal comes as part of a broader partisan war over redistricting, with Democrats positioning it as retaliation against Republican-led gerrymanders in Texas and other states.
Democrats Already Hold Strong Advantage
Currently, Democrats control 43 of California’s 52 congressional seats, while Republicans hold just nine. The new maps would tilt five GOP-leaning or competitive districts firmly into the Democratic column.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) defended the plan, saying it protects voters from “racially gerrymandered, partisan maps” pushed by Republicans elsewhere.
“We strongly believe that this map serves the best interest of California voters,” the DCCC said, while blasting GOP statehouses for undermining democracy.
The Five Republican Seats in Jeopardy
- Rep. Doug LaMalfa (District 1) — His rural northern district currently holds a +17 Republican voter registration edge. Under the proposal, boundary changes would transform it into a +10 Democratic seat.
- Rep. Kevin Kiley (District 3) — Kiley’s district would shift from +6 Republican to +8 Democratic, thanks to boundary adjustments pulling in deep-blue suburbs of Sacramento.
- Rep. David Valadao (District 22) — Valadao has survived in a district with a slight Democratic lean, but the new map would add six more Democratic points, likely making it unwinnable for Republicans.
- Rep. Ken Calvert (District 41) — Perhaps the hardest hit, Calvert’s seat would swing to a +20 Democratic advantage, erasing GOP strength in the district. Calvert blasted the plan as a “power grab” opposed by 64% of Californians.
- Rep. Darrell Issa (District 48) — Issa’s district would absorb Democratic-heavy Palm Springs, shifting from Trump +15 in 2024 to Harris +3 under the Cook Political Report’s estimates.
Of the five, Valadao’s and Issa’s districts could remain competitive, but the other three would almost certainly become Democratic strongholds.
Republicans Push Back
Rep. Ken Calvert said the plan “allows politicians to choose their voters” and undermines bipartisan support for fair maps.
National GOP leaders echoed those concerns, accusing Democrats of hypocrisy for dismantling a commission system they once championed.
National Implications
The California fight mirrors an intensifying national redistricting war. In Texas, Republicans are advancing maps designed to add five GOP House seats, prompting Democrats in California to pursue their own aggressive redraw.
With Democrats and Republicans separated by just a handful of seats in the House, even small shifts in a few states could determine control of Congress in 2026.
What Happens Next
Newsom has scheduled a special referendum for November 4, 2025, asking voters to approve the proposed boundaries. If passed, the new maps would govern California’s congressional elections through 2030.
Democrats have promised to restore the independent redistricting commission after this cycle, but Republicans warn the precedent will erode trust in the system.
Whether Californians side with Democrats’ argument about protecting democracy — or Republicans’ charge of a partisan power grab — could decide the balance of power in Washington for years to come.
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