SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Gov. Gavin Newsom is doubling down on his threat to overhaul the state's independent redistricting process, escalating a political standoff with Texas Republicans that's becoming a flashpoint in the fight for control of Congress.

This week, the Texas Legislature kicked off a special session where redistricting is on the table, as Republicans reevaluate their congressional maps to help the GOP retain its slim House majority after the 2026 midterms.

After a Friday meeting with Texas lawmakers at the governor's mansion in Sacramento, Newsom told reporters the situation is a "five-alarm fire for democracy in the United States."

"We are committed to this process. This is not a bluff," he said. "Everything is at stake if we're not successful next year and take back the

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