California Republicans Are Scared of Losing Their Seats
The Golden State’s new district map could remake the state and leave Republicans in the dust.
WHEN PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP and Texas Republicans made clear—like, really clear—that their plan to reshape congressional districts in the state was intended to give the GOP the upper hand in next fall’s midterm elections, California Democrats were eager to call their bluff by announcing a retaliatory redistricting plan of their own. But now those Pacific-facing lawmakers feel committed to follow through on their threats, and California’s frontline Republicans are growing fearful about their careers becoming collateral damage. If their district lines disappear, their prospects of returning to Washington in 2027 might, as well.
Some are attempting to fight back against both states’ proposals. Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-Calif.) introduced a bill to ban mid-decade redistricting nationwide. (Redistricting typically happens on a ten-year cycle following the U.S. census, which reassesses the national population and reassigns electoral votes and representatives to match the new numbers.) Kiley said in a statement that the bill would “protect California voters” and “also stop a damaging redistricting war from breaking out across the country.”
It may seem like a noble cause, but Kiley’s not putting this proposal forward only for the good of the Republic, whether American or Californian: His district in inland Northern California would be first on the chopping block if California makes good on its plans to revise its maps. California’s 3rd Congressional District, which currently encloses a swath of safe Republican territory near Lake Tahoe, would be forced to absorb more of Sacramento, turning it into a significantly more Democratic-leaning district in the process.
The proposed changes prompted Kiley to even lash out at House Speaker Mike Johnson, writing that his criticisms of California Gov. Gavin Newsom were “nice words but we need action”—specifically, for the speaker to bring Kiley’s redistricting bill up for a vote.