Thinking back to the 2008 presidential election, you may recall that Barack Obama employed the phrase "Fired Up! Ready to Go!" during his campaign. If you've been paying attention to what California Governor Gavin Newsom has been up to recently, then you know that he is also "Fired Up! Ready to Go!"
Part of what's fueling Newsom's energy is a recent phone call to Texas Governor Greg Abbott by Donald Trump, asking Abbott to immediately pursue a redistricting plan to gerrymander five more congressional seats in favor of Republicans. Trump said that Texas is "entitled to five more seats."
On August 14 Newsom took action to counter Texas' redistricting plan by announcing a legislative package called "The Election Rigging Response Act" which calls for the following:
- the adoption of new California congressional districts for use in congressional elections through 2030
- the preservation of California's current congressional maps if Texas or other states also keep their original maps
- a special election, to be held on November 4 of this year, for voters to decide if the legislation should be passed
- an official bill/constitutional amendment establishing a new congressional map that could be triggered to take effect if other states engage in redistricting
In announcing this legislation, Newsom said:
California will not sit idle as Trump and his Republican lapdogs shred our country's democracy before our very eyes. In just six months, Trump's unchecked power has cost Americans billions and taken an ax to the greatest democracy we've ever known. This moment calls for urgency and action – that is what we are putting before voters this November, a chance to fight back against his anti-American ways.
Source:
Newsom, Gavin. (August 14, 2025). "Governor Newsom launches statewide response to Trump rigging Texas' elections". gov.ca.gov. Retrieved 2025-08-19.
On August 18 Trump posted the following on Truth Social:
Republican State Legislators in the Great State of Texas, which I love, and WON BIG three times, including with 6.4 Million Votes in 2024 (by far the most Votes in History!), just introduced a new Bill for ONE BIG, BEAUTIFUL CONGRESSIONAL MAP!
It is wonderful to see Republicans everywhere standing up to Save our Country. It is one of the most popular initiatives I have ever supported. Republicans love watching us fight for a Great Cause. Please pass this Map, ASAP. THANK YOU TEXAS — MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!
Note that on August 11, three days prior to Newsom's announcement of "The Election Rigging Response Act," he sent a letter to Donald Trump asking him to tell Abbott to stop efforts to redraw Texas congressional maps. In that letter Newsom said that Trump and Abbott's efforts are an "affront to American democracy" and that maps should be drawn by "independent, citizen-led efforts," which is how California has been drawing maps for two decades.
Newsom recently sat down with progressive commentator Brian Tyler Cohen (BTC) for a 20-minute interview regarding his plan which you can watch on YouTube here.
Read more about Newsom's plan on the Cal Matters website in an article entitled "5 things to know about Gavin Newsom's plan to redraw California's election maps".
On August 19 Cal Matters reported that a group of California Republicans is suing the state of California to stop Newsom's plan.
Commentary:
First and foremost, Gavin Newsom is to be commended for having the passion and courage to stand up for democracy. If you want to get a sense of just how "Fired Up and Ready to Go!" he is, I suggest you watch his recent interview with BTC. This guy is passionate and totally committed, and watching him speak with BTC will help keep you engaged and get you fired up as well! Governors from other blue states should take notice and follow in Newsom's footsteps to help Newsom counter what Trump and Republicans are doing by drawing new congressional maps in red states.
Trump, asking Abbott to redraw maps because he thinks Texas is "entitled" to five more seats, is blatant, in your face, gerrymandering.
Then, Trump goes on to say that it's "wonderful" to gerrymander!
This is the kind of thing that happens in third-world countries and dictatorships.
With each passing day, Trump continues to further erode democracy.
Thank God we have people like Gavin Newsom who are willing to say enough is enough and fight for our democracy.
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