Gov. Gavin Newsom wants California voters to gerrymander the state’s congressional districts, giving the Democrats a boost in the 2026 midterms — but only if Republicans in Texas or other states do it first.

To disregard California’s practice of independently crafting political maps to avoid partisan tilt, Newsom’s plan hinges on the compliance of lawmakers in the state Legislature, which is dominated by members of his own party. And so far, it doesn’t look likely that the governor will meet significant resistance.

Democrats representing parts of the Bay Area say they’re not thrilled at the idea of intentionally redistricting California to improve their standing in Congress, but they’ll go along with it to counter President Donald Trump’s demands that Texas Republicans redraw politic

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