Newsom has engineered the high-risk strategy in response to President Donald Trump’s own brinkmanship. Trump pushed Texas Republicans to reopen the legislative maps they passed in 2021 to squeeze out up to five new GOP seats to help the party stave off a midterm defeat.

The former president suggested that Democrats opposing G.O.P. efforts in Texas and elsewhere should advance their own gerrymandering plans.

Former President Barack Obama has endorsed California Governor Gavin Newsom’s fight against Republican gerrymandering efforts in a Wednesday night social media post.

That has changed this week, though, with Obama stepping in to defend California's Governor, Gavin Newsom, who has been in a war of words with the current POTUS. Obama has shown his support for the Democrats' move to redraw congressional districts, following a similar move by the Republicans, which was passed on Wednesday.

Republican lawmakers are pursuing the unusual mid-decade redistricting plan amid pressure from Trump to protect the GOP’s slim majority in the U.S. House.