California Governor Gavin Newsom attempted to hit back at Vice President JD Vance amid escalating tensions over Texas’s controversial new congressional redistricting plan—but his response may have ignited more criticism than support.
The uproar peaked on Wednesday, July 30, after the Texas GOP unveiled a proposed map that could eliminate five Democratic congressional seats, drawing sharp rebukes from Democrats nationwide and sparking legislative chaos in Austin.
Vance fanned the flames with a sharp post on social media: “The gerrymander in California is outrageous,” he wrote. “Of their 52 congressional districts, 9 them are Republican. That means 17 percent of their delegation is Republican when Republicans regularly win 40 percent of the vote in that state. How can this possibly be allowed?”
Newsom quickly responded by sharing a map of his own, accusing red states—including Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Kentucky, and Ohio—of being the true champions of gerrymandering. The jab at Vance’s home state seemed designed to turn the tables.
However, not everyone was convinced. A popular comment fired back at Newsom’s claim: “Donald Trump received over 1 million votes in LA County, the highest in any county in the US, yet Republicans didn’t win a single House seat of the 17 that cover LA County. The ‘Republicans’ on your ‘independent’ commission were appointed by a Democrat and donated to Joe Biden and Planned Parenthood. Like usual, you’re the biggest perpetrator of gerrymandering—you’ve just found a way to lie about it.”
The redistricting battle in Texas has drawn national attention, with high-profile Democrats like New York Governor Kathy Hochul and Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Elissa Slotkin condemning the proposed map as blatant “election-rigging in real-time.”
According to The Texas Tribune, the new map targets Democratic strongholds in urban centers such as Austin, Dallas, Houston, and South Texas. Democrats are reportedly considering drastic action, including a walkout to block the vote and deny the GOP a legislative quorum.
But such a move comes at a cost. Texas lawmakers who flee could face arrest and a $500 daily fine—and cannot use campaign funds to pay the penalties. Sources suggest Democrats are preparing financial workarounds and may need over $1 million a month to maintain their resistance.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has vowed aggressive action, stating his office is ready to “hunt down and compel the attendance of anyone who abandons their office.” Meanwhile, the Democratic National Committee has mobilized tens of thousands of volunteers to counter what they see as extreme Republican gerrymandering and election manipulation.