California Democrats Eye Mid-Decade Redistricting Amid National⁢ Political Chess

California Democrats are reportedly considering a⁤ mid-decade redrawing of congressional districts, a move that could significantly alter the state’s political landscape and perhaps benefit the party nationally. This potential shift comes as⁢ the state’s self-reliant ⁣redistricting ‍commission,established ⁣to create fair and competitive maps,faces scrutiny and ‍opposition from both sides of the political aisle.

The debate centers on⁤ the timing and method of redistricting, a process that typically occurs every ten years following the⁢ U.S. Census. Though,some⁤ Democrats,citing the need to counter perceived Republican advantages in other states,are exploring options to redraw California’s congressional maps sooner.

“We⁢ drew⁣ fair ⁣and competitive maps that ⁣fully abided by federal laws around the Voting Rights Act⁢ to ensure communities of⁣ color have⁣ an equal possibility at⁤ the ballot box,” said Sadhwani, a politics professor at Pomona College. ⁣”That being said, especially when it comes to Congress, most certainly California playing fair puts Democrats at a disadvantage nationally.”

Sadhwani advocates for a nationwide embrace of independent redistricting but supports Democratic efforts in California to ‍temporarily redraw districts ⁤given the perceived stakes. “I think‍ it’s‍ patriotic to fight against what appears to be our democracy falling into what appears ⁤to be authoritarian rule,” she added.

On the other side of the debate is Charles Munger Jr., son of the late ⁣billionaire Charlie Munger. Munger Jr. has ⁢invested heavily, spending over $12 million⁤ to support the ballot measure that created the independent redistricting commission and is committed to its preservation.

“He’s very much committed to making sure the commission is preserved,” said someone close to Munger who requested anonymity to speak candidly. This individual stated that Munger believes “this is ultimately political quicksand and a redistricting war at the end of⁣ day is ⁤a loss to American voters.” Munger, a former major ⁣donor to the state GOP, is actively ⁢involved in the California redistricting fight and is researching nationwide efforts to combat gerrymandering.

Historically, both the state Democratic and Republican⁢ parties opposed the creation of the independent⁤ redistricting commission in 2010. Now,‍ the dynamic has shifted. Democrats, who stand to gain seats with a redrawn map by ⁣state lawmakers, support mid-decade redistricting. Conversely, the state GOP, which would likely lose seats, argues for adhering to the decade-long redistricting ⁤cycle managed by the independent‍ commission.

the California Republican Party congressional delegation criticized the potential move, stating, “it’s a shame that governor⁤ Newsom and the radical Left in Sacramento are willing to spend $200 million on a⁢ statewide special election, while running a deficit of $20 billion, in order to ⁢silence the opposition in our state. As a Delegation we will⁣ fight any attempt to disenfranchise ‍California voters ⁣by whatever means necessary to⁢ ensure⁣ the will of the people continues to be reflected in redistricting ⁢and in our ‍elections.”

What Happens Next?

If California Democrats proceed with their ⁤proposal,which is contingent on actions taken by ⁣Texas lawmakers in their special legislative‍ session,they have two primary avenues:

Special election: ⁢ state lawmakers could vote to place a measure before voters in a special election,likely in November. ‍This option is costly,with ⁤the 2021 gubernatorial recall election costing over $200 million.
legislative Redrawing: The Legislature could redraw the maps directly. ‍However, this approach is considered more vulnerable to legal challenges.

Both scenarios are expected to be treated as urgency items,⁢ requiring a two-thirds vote in the Legislature. This would prevent the ⁣action from being subject⁣ to a referendum that could delay its implementation. ⁣The California Legislature is currently out of session until mid-August.

Times staff writer Taryn Luna in Sacramento contributed to this report.