SACRAMENTO — To counter Texas redistricting, Gov. Gavin Newsom faces a tight timeline to convince lawmakers to act. But many won’t even say where they stand on the issue.
Newsom first raised the prospect of redrawing California’s congressional maps in favor of Democrats three weeks ago as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott moved to do the same in his state in favor of Republicans. But while Abbott has been able to move forward with his redistricting efforts unfettered, Newsom faces more roadblocks. In most states, including in Texas, state lawmakers approve congressional maps, giving politicians power to shape districts in favor of their own political parties. But California voters took that power away from the state Legislature in 2010 and handed it to an independent redistricting commission.
That means if Newsom wants the Democratically-dominated Legislature to draw new maps, he’ll likely need to go back to voters to do so. And that will take time…