A California Republican is breaking with Republican efforts to redraw congressional maps ahead of next year’s midterm elections — especially after he has become a target of Democratic retaliation in his home state.
Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Calif., filed a bill on Tuesday that would ban any redistricting efforts before 2030, pouring cold water on Republican and Democratic efforts to alter congressional maps before next November. The bill would block any new maps unless mandated by the courts and it would nullify any changes that are adopted this year.
The bill comes after California Democrats hinted at widespread changes to their congressional boundaries in response to a proposed map being considered by the Texas state Legislature as early as this week. A new map in California would likely put Kiley at risk in his district as he quickly emerged as a vulnerable target.
Kiley specifically mentioned California Gov. Gavin Newsom in his statement announcing the bill, but he didn’t refer to similar efforts by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who is actively considering changes to the Lone Star State’s congressional districts.
“Gavin Newsom is trying to subvert the will of voters and do lasting damage to democracy in California,” Kiley said. “Fortunately, Congress has the ability to protect California voters using its authority under the Elections Clause of the U.S. Constitution. This will also stop a damaging redistricting war from breaking out across the country.”
The Texas Legislature was scheduled to meet this week for a special session to vote on the newly proposed map to reconfigure district lines and secure five extra GOP House seats next year.
But those efforts have been delayed after state Democrats fled to blue states such as New York, Illinois and Massachusetts to block a vote on the new map. With their absence, the Texas state Legislature cannot reach a quorum, the minimum number of lawmakers required to conduct business.
The Texas Legislature revealed the new boundaries last week, altering the map to create new districts in areas that President Donald Trump carried by more than 10 percentage points in the 2024 election. Most of the new districts are in heavily Hispanic areas, a crucial demographic shift that helped secure Trump’s victory in November — a risky gamble if Hispanic voters lean back toward Democratic candidates next year.
Meanwhile, Democratic leaders in the states where the Texas lawmakers retreated have said they may redraw their states’ maps in response to any changes in the Lone Star State.
However, Kiley’s bill would block map changes in any state — regardless of Republican or Democratic influence — and void any boundary alterations that are passed before the bill is voted on.
It’s not clear whether Kiley’s bill will be brought to the floor for a vote, as top Republicans such as House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., have not closed the door on the idea of redistricting to protect their slim majority next year.
“California has a problem — they have to amend the state constitution. They have to follow the law,” Johnson told Fox News last week, referring to California state laws that restrict mid-decade redistricting. “I’m convinced the red states will and we will probably have a few more seats out of that and that’s good news for me.”
Republicans currently hold a 219-212 majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, a historically slim margin that has often made it difficult for the party to advance legislation even with a Republican trifecta. With control of the White House and Senate, Republicans have enjoyed total control of Washington — something that is at risk next November.
Historical trends show that the party of the sitting president typically loses control of the House during midterm elections. If Democrats manage to flip the House, it would deal a massive blow to Trump and likely thwart his agenda for his final two years.
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