California Democrats Unveil Gerrymandered District Map

On Friday night, California Democrats revealed a new congressional district map that significantly alters traditional Republican strongholds in the state.

The redrawn map, put together by the Democratic-controlled state legislature, aims to transform five Republican districts into Democratic ones. Additionally, it seeks to bolster the security of seats currently held by Democrats, which are becoming increasingly competitive. Governor Gavin Newsom called for this mid-term redistricting after reports surfaced about Texas planning to redraw its own congressional map, with the goal of converting five blue districts to red.

If this new map is implemented, it might result in a California congressional delegation composed of 48 Democrats and just four Republicans, meaning the GOP could hold only 8% of the seats. In contrast, Texas’s proposed map may yield 30 Republican seats and eight Democratic ones, which would give Democrats a slightly higher percentage of representation than the current 17% they hold in California.

Newsom remarked that he expects these maps to counteract Texas’s maneuvering, noting that special elections for Californians to vote on this new gerrymandering plan would be held in November. Unlike in California, Texas requires a voting initiative to approve midterm redistricting proposals.

Republican incumbents like Doug Lamalfa, Ken Calvert, Darrell Issa, Kevin Kiley, and David Valadao could be targets of this proposed map. Both Lamalfa and Calvert have held their districts for decades. The new map intends to replace their Republican seats with Democratic ones safely.

Lamalfa has represented California’s 1st Congressional District since 2013, covering a large rural area near Sacramento. His seat has been controlled by Republicans since 1981, and he achieved a significant victory in the 2024 elections. Now, the proposed map would extend his district into wine country in Sonoma, which largely voted Democratic in 2024.

Calvert, who has served California’s 41st District since 2001, won reelection in 2024 by a slim margin. His district—which stretches from Palm Springs to Corona—may be transformed into a strongly Democratic area under the new proposals, effectively eliminating his current seat.

Issa, representing District 48, which extends just east of San Clemente, won his reelection bid by a comfortable margin in 2024. Under the new map, his district could shift toward a Democrat-leaning trend.

Kiley, now in his second term representing California’s 3rd District, has been vocal against the proposed changes, emphasizing the need for an independent commission for redistricting. He cited overwhelming public support for keeping politicians out of the district drawing process.

Furthermore, the Central Valley’s District 22—currently held by Valadao—will be redrawn to lean more Democratic. Valadao’s seat, which previously leaned Republican, significantly shifted toward Biden in the last election.

The latest proposal from California’s Democrats aims to further strengthen the position of half a dozen vulnerable Democratic incumbents throughout the state.

A group of nine Republican House members from California recently expressed their disapproval of Newsom’s initiative, defending the rights of citizens regarding district drawing and opposing any attempts to undermine independent redistricting efforts.