California Gov. Gavin Newsom signs redistricting measure in response to new Texas House map

California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom signed off Thursday evening on a redistricting plan aimed at countering Texas Republicans’ planned implementation of new congressional maps for the Lone Star State.

Newsom enacted the so-called “Election Rigging Response Act,” setting a Nov. 4 special election asking whether Golden State voters approve of new House districts designed by legislators.

The Democrat-controlled state Senate passed the special election measure in a 30-8 vote, shortly after the Dem-held state Assembly approved it in a 57-20 vote.

If the new map is approved by voters — and if it survives near-certain legal challenges — Democrats could win up to five additional House seats in next year’s midterm elections, canceling out the five seats Republicans in Texas are expected to gain as a result of their redistricting push.

“The president and the Texas Republicans are rigging the election … it is our duty to fight fire with fire,” state Sen. Jerry McNerney (D-East Bay) said during debate on the measure.

McNerney argued that “California voters should have the right to decide if the state should respond to the president’s effort to rig the election.”