AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The 2 most populous U.S. states — California and Texas — are grappling for political benefit forward of the 2026 elections, establishing a nationwide proxy warfare as Democrats and Republicans vie for management of Congress within the latter half of Donald Trump’s second presidency.
In Texas, Democrats on Tuesday once more delayed their state’s House of Representatives from transferring ahead with a redrawn congressional map sought by Trump to shore up Republicans’ 2026 midterm prospects as his political standing falters. It was the second consecutive day that absent Democrats compelled a fast adjournment by denying the GOP majority the required attendance to take votes.
In California, Democrats inspired by Gov. Gavin Newsom are contemplating new political maps that would slash Republican-held Home seats within the left-leaning state whereas bolstering Democratic incumbents in battleground districts. The transfer is meant to counter any GOP beneficial properties in Texas — although California Democrats might face much more complicated authorized and logistical hurdles than their briefly stymied Republican counterparts in Texas.
The 2 states’ current maps placing Democrats inside simply three seats of reclaiming a U.S. Home majority within the midterms.
The combat, which might spill over to different statehouses, demonstrates Trump’s aggressive view of presidential energy and his maintain on the Republican Celebration. It additionally assessments the historic stability of powers between the federal and state governments, with Texas and California having lengthy performed main roles in that dynamic.
For years, the 2 behemoth states have set competing political and cultural curves, dueling over jobs, innovation, status and beliefs towards the backdrop of Republican domination in Texas and Democrats’ management on the extra liberal West Coast. The 2 states have produced presidents and vice presidents and influential Home leaders. Now, the rivalry is on the middle of the 2 main events’ scramble to border their redistricting approaches as honest and neutral, whereas skewering the opposite as ruthlessly partisan.
“We’re entitled to 5 extra seats” in Texas, Trump insisted Tuesday in a CNBC interview. He pointed to California’s current maps, that are drawn by an unbiased fee in contrast to the Texas maps drawn by a partisan legislature: “They did it to us.”
Nationwide Democratic Chairman Ken Martin answered that Trump and compliant Republicans are subverting democracy out of worry given the president’s lagging approval ratings and voter angst over the large GOP tax and coverage invoice he signed final month.
“Republicans are operating scared that voting for this monstrosity will make them lose their majority, and it actually will,” Martin mentioned in Illinois, the place a number of Texas Democrats have settled briefly to disclaim their Republican colleagues a quorum in Austin. “They don’t give a rattling concerning the will of voters for his or her wants. … It’s insulting. It’s shameful. It’s improper.”
Texas Democrats block GOP energy play — for now
After dozens of Democrats left Texas, the Republican-dominated Home stays unable to determine the quorum of lawmakers required to do enterprise. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has made threats about removing members who’re absent; Democrats’ retort that Abbott is blustering about authorized authority he doesn’t have.
The Home issued civil arrest warrants for absent Democrats and Abbott ordered state troopers to search out and arrest them, however lawmakers bodily exterior Texas are past state authorities’ jurisdiction.
Home Speaker Rep. Dustin Burrows mentioned Tuesday that Texas officers are persevering with efforts to corral lawmakers. He provided no particulars of that course of.
Abbott, for his half, has derided absent Democrats as “un-Texan.” Democrats forged the governor and his ally, Texas Lawyer Normal Ken Paxton, as Trump lackeys.
“When Donald Trump calls, they are saying, ‘Sure, sir. Instantly,’” Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker mentioned Tuesday.
Republicans at the moment maintain 25 of Texas’ 38 U.S. Home seats. The GOP alternative map is drawn to spice up Republicans to 30 seats and cut back Democrats to eight. Republicans’ present benefit of practically 2-to-1 already is a wider partisan hole than the 2024 presidential outcomes: Trump received 56.1% of Texas ballots, whereas Democrat Kamala Harris obtained 42.5%.
The Texas Home will convene once more Friday.
Newsom and California Democrats try to reply Texas
In California, Democrats are wanting right into a plan to safe 48 of 52 congressional seats. That’s up from the 43 seats — about 83% of the Home delegation. Like Texas, the present occasion hole outpaces the statewide presidential cut up in 2024: Harris received 58.5% of the vote to Trump’s 38.3%.
Newsom has mentioned he needs to advance partisan redistricting however received’t transfer forward if Texas pauses its efforts. California’s plan, although, would wish approval from lawmakers and voters, who could also be skeptical to present it after handing redistricting energy to an unbiased fee years in the past.
The governor mentioned he’d name a particular election for the primary week of November — however that’s a good timeline forward of a statewide referendum later that month. Additional, voter turnout in odd-year elections is difficult to foretell, and Newsom could be campaigning at a time when his recognition amongst voters has been sagging.
And opposition has shaped rapidly.
Former Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has signaled he’d marketing campaign to guard the unbiased redistricting fee that was considered one of his signature accomplishments. Schwarzenegger spokesman Danile Ketchell mentioned in a press release that the previous governor has at all times advocated “taking energy from the politicians and returning it to the folks the place it belongs, and he believes gerrymandering is evil regardless of who does it.”
Nonetheless, many Democrats hope Newsom’s push will compel Texas Republicans to face down. “We’ve tried not to consider hypotheticals as a result of there are loads of components at play,” Texas state Rep. James Talarico mentioned. “We all know it is a tactic that does give us success.”
Texas holdouts are nonetheless mum on long-term technique
Regardless of California’s cumbersome path, a probably prolonged stalemate in Texas — even when the GOP finally will get its manner there — might give Newsom and his allies extra time to rally help.
Thad Kousser, a political science professor on the College of California, San Diego, mentioned there’s uncertainty however that “Democrats have a path to victory if they’ll make this a referendum on Donald Trump and his collaboration with Texas to stack the deck in his favor.”
Additional, Pritzker and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, who additionally welcomed some Texas lawmakers who left Austin, have promised to discover methods to redraw congressional districts to counter GOP efforts. Which means Texas and California might merely be blueprints for a multistate redistricting bonanza.
For his or her elements, Texas legislators who left declined to say how lengthy they’ll maintain out.
“There’s people saying that we walked out. I believe everybody behind me would say we’re standing up, and as Texans would say, we’re standing tall,” mentioned state Rep. Ramon Romero, who decamped to Illinois.
Walkouts often only delay passage of a bill, like in 2021, when Democrats left Texas for 38 days to protest proposed voting restrictions. As soon as they returned, Republicans handed that measure. After that dispute, Texas Republicans adopted $500 each day fines for lawmakers who don’t present.
Romero dismissed Abbott’s threats and embraced the potential of being fined.
“I’ll pay that value for America,” he mentioned.
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Barrow reported from Atlanta. Blood reported from Los Angeles.
