SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Democrats in California’s state legislature have released a proposal for a new congressional map that could give their party up to five new seats.

It’s a major step forward for Gov. Gavin Newsom’s redistricting plans and the escalating race between the two major parties as they seek to pick up additional U.S. House seats in next year’s midterm elections.

Newsom has said that he will call a Nov. 4 special election, so California voters can decide whether to adopt the new districts. That election would bypass the state’s independent redistricting commission.

Newsom argues California is redrawing its congressional map — a process typically done at the start of a new decade — in response to Republicans in Texas redrawing their own lines to grab up to five more GOP

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