The 'redistricting war' surrounding the number of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives is escalating into an all-out battle between the Democratic stronghold of California and the Republican bastion of Texas. As the Republicans push through a redistricting plan favorable to their party in Texas, California Democrats have introduced a 'counter' plan that could secure five additional House seats. Consequently, California Republican lawmakers are filing a lawsuit with the state Supreme Court, claiming procedural illegality, indicating that the conflict between the two parties is extending into the judicial arena.
On the 19th (local time), Republican state lawmakers from California submitted an emergency petition to the state Supreme Court to halt the legislative process for the redistricting bill proposed by the Democrats. They argue that the Democrats violated the 30-day bill review period specified in the state constitution by using the loophole 'gut and amend'. This entails discarding the contents of the existing bill entirely and inserting the redistricting plan to skip the review period.
In their petition, Republican lawmakers criticized, "To demand a simple yes-or-no vote on a map secretly drafted by the legislature is a sensitive issue that an independent citizens' committee should transparently supervise over several months." They also attacked it as an act that betrays the trust of voters who entrusted redistricting authority to independent committees, rather than the legislature, through a 2010 referendum.
On the other hand, the Democratic Party led by California Governor Gavin Newsom plans to pass this bill, named the 'Election Rigging Response Act', by the 21st and put it to a referendum in a special election on Nov. 4. A spokesperson for Newsom, Brandon Richards, dismissed the lawsuit as "not very serious and really ridiculous," stating, "It's neither surprising nor concerning."
This situation began when Texas started to undertake redistricting at the request of President Donald Trump. The Texas Republican Party is on the verge of passing a redistricting plan that could grant their party at least five additional seats. The move to push forward the redistricting process, which is conducted every 10 years based on the census, just four years later is seen as reflecting President Trump's intention to solidify the Republican majority in the House during next year's midterm elections.
In response, Democratic gubernatorial aspirant Newsom declared, "I will not sit idly by while they (the Republicans) instruct Texas and other states to rig elections to maintain their power." Currently, the House of Representatives holds a precariously slim Republican majority by just three seats, putting both parties in a position where neither can back down.
During the public hearings, conservative groups protested, calling it "backdoor maneuvering," while the Democratic political ally, the 'Planned Parenthood Federation', urged support for the bill, stating, "We need to take back the House to protect women's rights." The legal battle that began in California is expected to be a critical turning point in the nationwide 'redistricting war'.