House Speaker Mike Johnson is drawing criticism for opposing Democratic-led redistricting in California while refusing to speak out against Republican efforts in Texas that could secure their majority in Congress.
Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana and a strong ally of President Donald Trump, took to social media on Monday to accuse California Governor Gavin Newsom of orchestrating what he described as an unlawful maneuver.
“Gavin Newsom’s latest attempt to disenfranchise millions of California voters was written in the dark of night by the DCCC—more than 2,700 miles away from Sacramento in Washington,” Johnson wrote in a post on X. “This is a slap in the face to Californians who overwhelmingly support the California Citizens Redistricting Commission.”
He continued by criticizing the governor’s leadership. “Gavin Newsom should spend less time trampling his state’s laws for a blatant power grab, and more time working to change the disastrous, far-left policies that are destroying California,” Johnson said.
Johnson further claimed that Newsom was using the redistricting issue as a platform for a presidential run. “Democrats across the nation have played politics with redistricting for decades, and this is just the latest example,” Johnson argued. “Republicans who are following state and federal laws will not be lectured by people who abused the system.”
The speaker pledged to fight back against the California plan. “I have instructed the NRCC to use every measure and resource possible to fight the California Democrats’ illegal power grab,” he said. “I will continue to lead efforts to defend our House Republican incumbents and grow our majority so that we can continue to deliver on our commonsense, America First agenda.”
While Johnson was quick to denounce Democrats in California, he has remained silent on Republican gerrymandering in Texas. That state’s redistricting plan has been accused of diluting minority votes in several districts, raising legal and ethical questions.
Critics say Johnson’s contrasting positions highlight partisan double standards when it comes to the fairness of drawing congressional maps. A spokesperson for the speaker told The Washington Post that Johnson had “no involvement” in the GOP’s national redistricting strategy, distancing him from accusations of directly shaping Texas’s approach.
Still, Johnson’s comments reflect a larger national battle over redistricting, a process that both parties have long used to cement political power. With control of the House at stake in 2024, the fight over congressional maps in states like California and Texas is expected to intensify further in the coming months.