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The G.O.P.’s Mess With Texas

After an election night upset defined by major swings with Hispanic voters, some Republican operatives worry they shouldn’t have started a redistricting war with California—and that their own map may backfire.

Gavin Newsom
Democrats are making redistricting plans with 2028 in mind—and with Newsom’s example, any Democratic governor with presidential ambitions may try to seize the moment to push new maps of their own. Photo: John Nacion/WireImage
Abby Livingston
November 10, 2025

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Back in July, when Gavin Newsom began floating his redistricting plan for California, it had seemed like a long-shot corrective to the G.O.P.’s five-seat land grab in Texas. After all, the Republican effort in the Lone Star State appeared to be a fait accompli, thanks to the state’s compliant legislature. Meanwhile, Newsom’s counterattack required the approval of California voters who, polls showed, were lukewarm on what Democrats used to call gerrymandering.