For months, Democrats, paralyzed by good-government reforms and self-interest, struggled to counteract a push led by President Donald Trump for red states to redraw their congressional lines and add more Republican seats in a desperate attempt to head off Democratic control of the House of Representatives after the midterm elections.
In the past week, however, the Democratic counteroffensive has begun in earnest. A California referendum to add Democratic seats looks certain to pass. Virginia Democrats called a surprise legislative session to start their own redrawing process. And national leaders are increasingly bullish about redrawing lines in both Maryland and Illinois despite ongoing resistance from state legislative leaders.
The first step is in California, where Republicans have openly given up on stopping Proposition 50, which would change the state’s constitution and set up the state legislature to eliminate five GOP-held seats in the state, counteracting Texas’ mid-decade redistricting that eliminated five Democratic-held seats.
Democrats are hopeful California’s success will create momentum, both by showing other states that changing congressional lines to combat Trump is politically popular and by forcing the ambitious governors of other blue states to keep up with the successes of California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
