By Joe W. Bowers Jr.

California Black Media

At the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles, Gov. Gavin Newsom and top California Democratic leaders unveiled a plan to authorize a special election for new congressional district maps in response to President Donald Trump’s push for partisan gerrymandering in Texas and other states to benefit House Republicans in next year’s midterm elections.

The museum, which chronicles Japanese American incarceration during World War II, carries symbolic weight underscoring California’s commitment to safeguarding civil rights.

Newsom, standing with legislative leaders, members of Congress, civil rights advocates and union leaders, said California has a responsibility to respond.

“Donald Trump, you have poked the bear, and we will punch back … I know they say, ‘Don’t mess with Texas.’ Well, don’t mess with the great Golden State,” Newsom warned.

During the press conference Q&A, Newsom added: “We’re not going to sit back … and be complicit… and watch this system get rigged and watch our democracy fail.” He also pointed to the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents outside the museum, calling it “a sign of weakness, not strength” from Trump’s allies.

Earlier in the week, in a letter to Trump, Newsom wrote: “This is a dangerous game — you are playing with fire when you try to undermine free and fair elections in America.”

The Election Rigging Response Act

Newsom is proposing a constitutional amendment, the Election Rigging Response Act for the Nov. 4 ballot. It would keep California’s Citizens Redistricting Commission, declare support for fair, nonpartisan commissions nationwide, and temporarily adopt new congressional districts through 2030 unless other states keep their maps. Voters would decide whether to bypass the commission temporarily and let the Legislature draw maps for the 2026, 2028, and 2030 elections.

The package includes three bills: one calling for the Nov. 4 special election, another establishing new district maps if triggered, and a third reimbursing counties for election costs.

The maps, drawn by the Legislature’s independent experts, are now publicly available on the Assembly and Senate Elections Committee websites for review.

Lawmakers have set an expedited schedule for passing the bills: introduce them in both houses when they return from recess on Aug. 18, hear them in each Elections Committees on Aug. 19, move them to Appropriations on Aug. 20, and hold floor votes on Aug. 21, when they must pass with a two-thirds majority in order to go before voters in a special election.

Assembly Republicans estimate the special election could cost $235.5 million statewide. According to Secretary of State Shirley Weber’s office, final costs will depend on logistical details once the Legislature formally calls the election.

Black Lawmakers Speak Out

Black lawmakers speaking at the press conference linked Trump’s redistricting strategy to broader threats against communities of color.

Congresswoman Maxine Waters speaks to the media following press conference. Photo: Maxim Elramsisy/CBM

Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Ladera Heights), vice chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC), tied the fight to his Texas roots and to the Texas Democrats who walked out to block voter suppression.

“This isn’t about redistricting. This is about whether we let an authoritarian in the White House break our democracy,” Bryan said at the museum.

He also took the message national. Appearing on MSNBC, Bryan said,

“We cannot let one man dismantle our democracy. California is stepping up to make sure every voter’s voice is heard.”

Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA-43) called Trump “dangerous and authoritarian,” saying he targets Black and Latino communities with “militarized” tactics. She said California is organized and “will not be intimidated,” stressing the fight is about protecting communities of color from systemic assault.

Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA-37) described the GOP’s mid-decade redraws as “race-based and classist,” designed to silence Black and Latino voices. She pointed to other states “in play” — Florida, Indiana, Missouri and Ohio — and said Democrats nationwide are asking California to share its playbook. “Voters, not janky maps, should decide elections,” she said, urging passage of the John Lewis Voting Rights Act.

CBLC Chair State Sen. Akilah Weber Pierson (D-San Diego) later in a press release from Newsom’s office reinforced the caucus’ message stating: “California will not sit idly by while Republicans attempt to rig the electoral system … California is responding to protect our democracy and preserve the will of the people.”

What Happens Next

If voters approve the measure, the new maps would govern California’s 52 congressional districts starting in 2026. That could offset Texas’s redrawn maps and potentially help Democrats retake control of the U.S. House.

Costly, High-Stakes Campaign

With less than three months until the election, both sides are preparing for an expensive fight.

Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a Republican who represented Bakersfield, is reportedly planning a $100 million campaign to defeat the measure. Charles Munger Jr., who championed California’s independent redistricting commission, may contribute up to $30 million more.

If Democrats mount a comparable effort, the statewide campaigns could exceed $200 million as both sides battle to sway voters.

For Black Californians, the outcome carries added weight.

“We have fought too hard for voting rights to sit by while Trump tries to erase them. This is about protecting our communities and making sure our voices are heard at the ballot box.” Waters said.