Trump floats controversial redistricting plan in Texas, Newsom threatens retaliation

President Donald Trump notified Texas Republicans on Tuesday that they would get five new seats as a part of the state s redistricting efforts ahead of the midterm elections First released by Punchbowl News the move is the latest GOP attempt to preserve its narrow majority in the House The Trump administration has been floating the idea to Texas lawmakers since June Of Texas House seats are held by Republicans The U S Department of Justice sent a letter to Texas Gov Greg Abbott on July stating that four of Texas s congressional districts were unconstitutional Three of those districts are represented by a person of color while the fourth is vacant Abbott appealed the state legislature to redraw the congressional maps during its upcoming special session using the DOJ s letter as his basis for doing so The governor called for rule that provides a revised congressional redistricting plan in light of constitutional concerns raised by the U S Department of Justice Related Trump aides want Texas to redraw its congressional maps so GOP gets extra seats Rep Jasmine Crockett D -Texas criticized the GOP s gerrymandering proposal and noted it s an attempt to disenfranchise voters of color I need people of color to understand that the scheme of the Republicans has consistently been to make sure that they mute our voices Crockett reported I fully anticipate that s exactly where they are going with this map California Gov Gavin Newsom entered the conversation on Tuesday In a post on X the governor implied Democrats could make a similar move Two can play this contest Newsom wrote In a news conference with Texas Democrats House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries D-NY mentioned Democrats will push back aggressively against the gerrymandering attempt In this country citizens servants should earn the votes of the people that they hope to represent What Republicans are trying to do in Texas is to have politicians choose their voters and undermine free and fair elections Jeffries noted Read more about gerrymandering How Republicans held the House It s the gerrymander stupid Congressional maps challenged as discriminatory will remain in place for elections Unpacking the right s -year plot to wreck democracy and why it might work The post Trump floats controversial redistricting plan in Texas Newsom threatens retaliation appeared first on Salon com