Texas congressman sues California Gov. Gavin Newsom over redistricting plan
Rep. Ronny Jackson (left,Photo by Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images) and Gavin Newsom (right, Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
AMARILLO, Texas - A Texas congressman is suing California Gov. Gavin Newsom over Newsom's attempt to redraw California's congressional map in response to Texas redrawing its maps.
Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX13) filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas and the filing names both Newsom and Secretary of State Shirley Weber as defendants.
The move comes in response to California's "Election Rigging Response Act," which would change the way California redraws its congressional maps, allowing the state to perform a midterm redistricting in response to Texas. California currently uses a redistricting commission to draw the state's maps and not the state legislature, like in Texas.
"By diluting Plaintiff’s legislative power and the voice of Texas voters, the law would cause injury that could not be later undone," court documents read.
What they're saying:
Jackson posted a video on X calling ERRA "illegal and unconstitutional."
"Gavin Newscum has made himself clear: crush Democracy and silence anyone who opposes him," Jackson said on X. "If this is the kind of thing he pulls as governor, it’s disgusting to think of what he would authorize as a Presidential candidate. I’m bringing down the HAMMER before that happens."
Jackson asked the court for a temporary injunction while the court decided the case.
On Friday, that motion was denied.
"Plaintiff does not advance any specific facts regarding what immediate and irreparable injury he allegedly will suffer if the TRO does not issue. Instead, he generally alleges that ‘[i]f the ERRA is allowed to govern the 2026 House elections, the composition of the House will be altered in a manner that is impossible to unwind even if Plaintiff ultimately prevails on the merits,’" the court ruled.
Newsom's office responded to the ruling on X.
The other side:
"A TEXAS COURT ALREADY RULED AGAINST YOU," the post reads.
What is California's redistricting plan?
If Newsom's move to shift redistricting powers from the commission to the legislature succeeds, a proposed map would help Democrats in California capture 48 of the state's 52 congressional seats. Democrats currently hold 43 of those seats.
The legislation is a response by Democrats seeking to neutralize Texas Republicans’ push to adopt a new congressional map favoring the GOP at the urging of President Donald Trump. California’s vote comes a day after the Texas House approved a map to create five more winnable districts for Republicans.
Voters will have the ultimate say in November.
If approved, the map would replace the existing one through 2030. Then the commission would take back map making power after the next census.
Texas redistricting
Texas passed its new congressional maps last month during its second special session.
House Democrats previously blocked the map when they fled the state during the first special session.
Under the new map, Texas could gain as many as five Republican members in the House of Representatives.
The maps were signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott on Aug. 29.
What they're saying:
"Today, I signed the One Big Beautiful Map into law," Abbott said on X. "This map ensures fairer representation in Congress. Texas will be more RED in Congress."
The new map was challenged in court before Abbott could sign the legislation.
The Source: Details of the lawsuit filed by Rep. Jackson comes from court records in the Northern District of Texas. Comments made by Jackson and Newsom come from their respective X accounts. Information on redistricting in California and Texas comes from previous FOX reporting.