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Gavin Newsom Urges Other Democrat-Led States To Join Redistricting Fight

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) celebrated the passage of his signature ballot initiative Tuesday, which could enable Democrats to flip up to five GOP-held seats in his state, encouraging other Democrat-led states to “meet the moment,” as he warned that President Donald Trump is already “trying to rig” the 2026 midterm elections.

Newsom said Democrats’ strong showing on Tuesday night in California and beyond was not just a victory for his party, “it was a victory for the United States of America.”

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The governor said he was “proud” California voters approved Proposition 50, a ballot measure enabling the state legislature to redraw the state’s congressional districts ahead of the 2026 elections, prompted by Texas Republicans’ move to eliminate five Democrat-held seats in the state under orders from Trump. Similar efforts are underway in other Republican-led states, including Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio, but some Democrat-led states are fighting back, following California’s push.

“After poking the bear, this bear roared with an unprecedented turnout in a special election with an extraordinary result. None of us, however, are naive,” Newsom said. “Donald Trump’s efforts to rig the midterm election continue to this day.”

As Newsom welcomed the blow voters delivered to the GOP, he urged Americans to not lose sight of the fact that Trump does not respect the foundational principles of a democratic society.

“Trump does not believe in fair and free elections, period and full stop,” Newsom said. “This is not complicated, and it’s self-evident to anyone paying attention.”

California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks as he stands with his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, during an election night press conference at a California Democratic Party office in Sacramento.

Newsom, who is widely expected to run for president in 2028 after leaving the governor’s mansion in Sacramento in January 2027 due to term limits, encouraged other states led by Democrats to mirror California’s fight against Trump’s mid-decade redistricting war.

“We need the state of Virginia. We need the state of Maryland. We need our friends in New York and Illinois and Colorado. We need to see other states, the remarkable leaders that have been doing remarkable things, meet this moment head-on as well to recognize what we’re up against in 2026,” he said.

“We can de facto end Donald Trump’s presidency as we know it, the minute” House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries “gets sworn in as Speaker of the House of Representatives,” Newsom said.