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In the latest development in the mid-decade redistricting showdown between Democrats and Republicans, a Texas congressman is suing California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom over an “unconstitutional and retaliatory” redistricting bill he signed in August.
The lawsuit, which was filed by Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, alleges that the Newsom-backed Election Rigging Response Act, passed in response to Texas’ redistricting plans, “is a plainly unconstitutional and retaliatory piece of legislation targeted against Texas, its citizens, and its congressional delegation.”
The suit names Newsom and California Secretary of State Shirley Weber as the defendants.
Jackson is seeking to block Newsom’s California redistricting law, which, if enacted by voters in November, would favor Democrats on the basis that it was specifically designed to nullify a recently passed Texas redistricting law that was backed by President Donald Trump and favors Republicans.
In his suit, Jackson argues that “California’s scheme alters Congress’ power dynamics in a way that harms the citizens of Texas” and that “if California’s plan succeeds, Democrats could net several additional House seats from California in 2026, potentially determining the majority in 2027.”
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He claims that in passing the redistricting law, California violated the elections and guarantee clauses of the U.S. Constitution by violating its own state constitution, which “entrusts redistricting to the independent Citizens Commission and explicitly forbids drawing districts to favor or discriminate against a political party.”
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Jackson’s office claimed that while Texas followed its state constitution, California violated its constitution “in a desperate attempt to undercut President Trump ahead of the 2026 midterms.”
Jackson, a retired Navy rear admiral who served as President Donald Trump’s physician during Trump’s first term, told Fox News Digital Newsom’s redistricting push “betrays every citizen who trusted him.”
“Gavin Newsom’s deranged obsession with destroying President Trump has turned him into a lawless tyrant who violates California’s own constitution and betrays every citizen who trusted him with the responsibility of running their state,” said Jackson.
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“I refuse to stand by while this partisan extremist weaponizes his office, silencing the will of the American people while betraying the state he took an oath to protect, all in the name of retaliating against Texas voters and the recent LEGAL redistricting process in Texas,” he added.
In response, Brandon Richards, a spokesperson for Newsom’s office, dismissed the lawsuit in a statement to Fox News Digital.
“It appears yet another Trump lapdog is pushing a pathetic lawsuit in a sad, desperate attempt to curry favor with their Dear Leader – wasting taxpayer dollars,” said Richards.
“Unfortunately for Ronny, he’ll only add to Trump’s losing streak in the courts,” he added. “Rather than daydream of the Golden State, his energy would be better spent focusing on addressing Texas’ homicide rate, which is 140% higher than California’s.”
A spokesperson for Weber’s office declined to comment.
In August, Newsom, a rumored frontrunner for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination, signed into law a set of bills to allow voters to decide whether to overturn the preexisting congressional maps and the state’s independent redistricting commission, ushering in a new one with a more partisan bent.
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The bills, sent to Newsom by the Democrat-dominated California legislature, are part of an effort in the blue state to nullify Texas’ new congressional map with one of their own. The bills allow California voters to decide in a special election on Nov. 4 whether to allow the state to suspend its bipartisan redistricting commission and replace the current districts with a map drawn up by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
Speaking at a press conference after the bills’ passage, Newsom accused Trump of being “one of the most unpopular presidents in U.S. history” and claimed “he recognizes he will lose the election, Congress will go back in the hands of the Democratic Party next November.”
Fox News Digital’s Alex Miller contributed to this report.
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