FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — Battle of the seats, as California Governor Gavin Newsom responded to Texas’s redistricting effort to secure five additional Republican seats in the U.S. House of Representatives by proposing new congressional districts in California.
On Friday, a first look of the proposed maps was obtained by our sister station in San Francisco, KGO.
RELATED: California releases first draft of redrawn congressional district maps
Republican assemblywoman, Alexandra Macedo of Tulare, reacted to those new lines, “And we are sitting here wasting time and energy and money on this, on political games rather than actually serving the people.”
Macedo continues to question, “Why are we doing this? So Gavin Newsom can make sure that he solidifies his 2028 presidential bid, and we read right through it.”
New maps suggest some changes to valley districts including seats occupied by republicans with a major re-shaping of the district currently represented by David Valadao.
Governor Newsom hopes to flip at least five California republican seats blue as President Donald Trump aims to protect Republicans’ slim House majority in Washington.
“Donald Trump, you have poked the bear, and we will punch back. We’ve got to meet fire with fire,” says Governor Gavin Newsom.
State Assembly Republicans claim a potential redistricting special election could cost upwards of $235 million for the state and $4 million for Fresno county. Macedo says the state could use that money on other resources.
RELATED: Fresno County prepares for potential special election on congressional redistricting
State lawmakers will have until next Friday to finalize and vote to approve the proposed maps.
This deadline was set by the Secretary of State’s Office.
“Here’s what I forecast happening. I know we’re not going to kill this, necessarily, in Sacramento, the Democrat supermajority and Gavin Newsom will make sure of that,” says Macedo.
“But I do believe that there are many violations of our Constitution and law and precedent that we will either win this in the courtroom, or we will win this in the ballot box, because the voters are going to read right through what this is,” Macedo continues.
If passed, a special election could happen on November 4. It would require a two-thirds vote to pass.
