‘Moral conflict’ drives Democratic doubts about Gavin Newsom’s redistricting plan
Jeanne Kuang
August 20, 2025
As Republicans lambasted California lawmakers for rushing through their effort to gerrymander the state’s congressional map, Democrats are facing a quieter angst in their own party.
To counter what they call President Donald Trump’s undemocratic power grab for Republican seats in Texas, they’re asking voters to temporarily ditch California’s nonpartisan map-drawing process — touted as a national gold standard for fair elections and good governance — in favor of a politico-drawn map to tilt seats in Democrats’ favor.
At the polls, they’ll have to overcome not just Republican opponents but also some Democrats and independent voters who say California shouldn’t respond to partisan gerrymandering in Texas with the same frowned-upon tactics at home.
“This is the kind of moral conflict that, if this goes to the ballot, that every California voter is going to be faced with,” said Sara Sadhwani, a political science professor, Democrat and member of the state’s independent redistricting commission, at a hearing over the measures Tuesday.
