Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) is firing back at California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) after Newsom threatened to reopen his state’s redistricting process if Texas Republicans move ahead with plans to alter their congressional map.
Abbott said Texas could respond in kind—and with greater force—if California follows through.
The clash began when Newsom sent a letter to President Donald Trump on Monday warning that he would “be forced to lead an effort to redraw the maps in California to offset the rigging of maps in red states.”
Newsom accused Trump of “playing with fire” and “risking the destabilization of our democracy” if Texas Republicans pursue their plan.
Abbott, dismissing the threat, argued that deep-blue states have already maximized their partisan advantage through previous redistricting.
“All those big, blue states, they’ve already gerrymandered,” Abbott said, per Tampa Free Press. “Look at the map of Illinois, look at the map of California, New York and Massachusetts and so many other blue states, they gerrymandered a long time ago, they’ve got nothing left with regard to what they can do.”
He went further, warning that Texas could strip Democrats of significant representation if California attempts to tilt its map further.
“If California tries