As RedState reported, California Gov. Gavin Newsom's plan to retaliate against Texas amid the Lone Star state's mid-decade redrawing of Congressional maps is proceeding apace. On Thursday, Newsom signed a redistricting plan passed by the Democrat-controlled state legislature that will be part of a package voters will decide on in a November special election.
Originally, Newsom said voters were going to be asked to weigh in on a temporary suspension of the voter-approved independent redistricting commission process and approve or reject the use of maps drawn by unnamed Democrat "leaders" only if Texas carried through with its plan to redraw lines that would potentially net the GOP four to five more seats in the U.S. House of Representatives in the 2026 midterms.
But as snakes often do, Democrats changed the language in one of the pieces of legislation, one which is set to be voted on next Monday, to allow for the maps to be used, pending voter approval, whether Texas proceeded with its plan or not, and regardless of whether the Texas maps ultimately get struck down by the courts.
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In the run-up to lawmakers voting on the bills, some rather interesting statements were made by Democrat legislators, with one, California Assembly Elections Chair Gail Pellerin, who represents the 28th district, stating in response to questions about voters needing to know who drew up the maps that "When I go to a restaurant, I don't need to meet the chef, I just enjoy the food":
Assemblymember Gail Pellerin, D-Santa Cruz, leads the Assembly's Elections Committee. She denied that state lawmakers drew the maps in front of reporters Tuesday.
Pellerin said the maps were a "collaboration" and she would get reporters "the specifics."
When KCRA 3 asked if voters deserve to know, and if she would expect to know where something came from if she were presented with it, Pellerin replied, "When I go to a restaurant, I don't need to meet the chef, I just enjoy the food."
On Thursday, Newsom was cornered by KCRA reporter Ashley Zavala, who pressed him over the fact that two lawmakers essentially drew districts that they are now reportedly considering running in, which doesn't square at all with the basis for the voter-approved independent districting commission. Watch as he squirms and dodges as she continues to press him on how and why Democrats view that as okay. He ends the questioning with a short "you'll have to ask them" answer:
A visibly irritated Gavin Newsom begins to stammer and sway from side to side when he can’t answer a simple question about Speaker Robert Rivas and Majority leader Mike McGuire drawing themselves congressional seats amongst Newsom‘s redistricting scheme pic.twitter.com/OwXX0DwGqm
— Kevin Dalton (@TheKevinDalton) August 22, 2025
Newsom looks frustrated and agitated in that clip, and he should be, because he thought this was going to be easy enough to do in a state dominated by Democrat voters. And yet his redistricting scheme is not popular with a majority California voters, and he knows it.
Ultimately, we'll see how this shakes out in November. Stay tuned.
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