By Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media
California Legislative Democrats – with the support of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) — are gearing up to add five additional Democratic U.S. House of Representatives.
That move, those leaders say, counters partisan redistricting efforts in Texas.
Last week, the state Legislature passed ACA 8 which will appear on the ballot as Proposition (prop) 50 – the “Election Rigging Response Act” – in a special election set for Nov. 4. The bill gives Californians the chance to adopt a temporary Congressional map favorable to Democrats.
CLBC chair Sen. Akilah Weber Pierson (D-San Diego) stated that “California’s response is not one I take lightly” and the redistricting measures are about “defending our right to fair representation.”
“Californians have for far too long felt the consequences of decisions made far from our state, and we are now bearing the brunt of the Trump administration’s policies,” Weber Pierson stated.
“Tariffs are driving up consumer prices, changes in healthcare policy are increasing costs and narrowing access, federal support for vital infrastructure is becoming increasingly unreliable, and cuts to our educational systems are limiting opportunities for some of our most vulnerable communities,” Weber Pierson continued.
According to the CLBC, Black communities in California and across the country have been disproportionately harmed by the policies and funding reversals of the Trump administration.
Assemblymember Rhodesia Ransom (D-Stockton), also a member of the CLBC, said during the floor debate on Aug. 21 that it was necessary to pass bills to place Prop 50 on the ballot to protect California.
“This is about citizens who are terrorized. With those being bullied, in need of someone to stand up, California is not going to sit down and be a bystander,” Ransom said. “The rules have been changed, and we have to act accordingly.”
All three Black members of California’s delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives – Congresswomen Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA-37), Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12), and Maxine Waters (D-CA-43) are not likely to be affected by the proposed redrawn Congressional maps.
In Sacramento, the 12-member CLBC was deeply involved in promoting redistricting efforts leading up to the final votes. They stood alongside their legislative colleagues voicing their support during legislative hearings and news conferences held around the state last week.
The CLBC also declared in a letter that it stands in full solidarity with the redistricting effort after Newsom signed the bill last week.
“This is not simply about politics. It is about justice, fairness, and ensuring that the voices of Black Americans are not erased from the halls of power,” CLBC stated. “The California Legislative Black Caucus will continue to fight to protect the vote, defend the dignity of our communities, and uphold the promise of equality under the law.”
The debate in both houses of the State Legislature lasted about a total of six hours before the measures passed with a super majority vote by the Democrats. Republican lawmakers, in the upper and lower houses, fought against Democrats’ plans, emphasizing that electoral maps had already been drawn by the public.
Some state Republican lawmakers, however, questioned President Donald Trump’s and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s intentions to add five seats in Texas before the 2026 midterm elections.
Assembly minority leader James Gallagher (R-East Nicholaus) said Trump was utterly mistaken to request partisan gerrymandering in Texas and other states.
“I have no problem saying that I think my president is wrong. I think he is wrong on this point,” Gallagher said.
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s legislative package includes three measures. Assembly Constitutional Amendment (ACA) 8, which was authored by Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Salinas) and Sen. pro temp Mike McGuire (D-Healdsburg). That legislation allows state lawmakers to adopt a new congressional map.
Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters) and Sen. Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach) authored Assembly Bill (AB) 604. It specifies that temporary congressional district maps would take effect if ACA 8 is approved by voters
Senate Bill (SB) 280, authored by Sen. Sabrina Cervantes (D-Riverside), along with Assemblymember Gail Pellerin (D-Santa Cruz), establishes the procedures and funding for the 20205 November special election.
Prop 50 would allow voters to temporarily approve the new maps drawn by the Legislature. It seeks to redraw the state’s congressional district maps for the 2026, 2028, and 2030 elections. The maps would be used to elect members of the U.S. House of Representatives from 2026 through 2030.
If Californians vote “no” on Prop 50, existing congressional districts maps will remain in place.
Prop 50 proposes that California’s 14-member Citizens Redistricting Commission (CRC) will redraw congressional districts in 2031.
The CRC adopted the current congressional districts map on Dec. 27, 2021, for use in elections from 2022 through 2030.
Weber Pierson emphasized that the temporary redistricting proposal is designed to combat what she deems as President Trump’s interference with the 2026 mid-term election.
“If the Trump administration and Texas leaders succeed in their plan, they will solidify their ability to govern without answering for the real-world consequences of their policies,” Weber Pierson stated.