Rep. Jim Costa, D-Fresno, doesn’t like gerrymandering and, in fact, would like to see an independent commission draw the congressional lines in all 50 states.

But he answered “tit-for-tat” when asked Wednesday about President Donald Trump urging Texas officials to redraw that state to bolster Republican efforts to retain control of the House of Representatives after next year’s elections.

Upon hearing of the developments between the White House and the state house in Texas, Gov. Gavin Newsom has floated the idea of changing California’s congressional districts for the 2026 midterms.

Unlike in many other states, an independent citizens commission redraws California’s congressional boundaries following the U.S. census.

“I have concerns about (gerrymandering). We’ve had a nonpartisan commission that has determined the reapportionment over the last two (10-year) cycles, and I think it’s worked,” Costa told GV Wire.

The California Legislature could call for a $200 million special election, asking voters for the power to draw lines prior to the next census in 2030. Or it could embark on a risky legal theory that nothing in the law prevents them from doing it now.

Asked for his opinion on the situation, Rep. Adam Gray, D-Merced, said: “In a democracy, everyone should play by the same rules. That includes Texas and California. We don’t know what or how these new maps will take shape. I’m in favor of fair, free elections for all.”

Democrats Blast Texas Plan

At a U.S. Senate hearing Wednesday, Sen. Alex Padilla, D-California, questioned legal experts about the Texas redistricting plan.

And Eric Holder, the U.S. Attorney General under President Barack Obama, said, “The president and his party are afraid of the voters, and they are trying to manipulate the maps in Texas so that they can rig the election in 2026, and people need to understand: This is not just a Texas problem.”

Last Friday in Sacramento, Newsom said that Republicans “play by a different set of rules and we could sit back and act as if we have some moral authority and watch this 249-, 250-year-old experiment (in democracy) be washed away. We are not going to allow that to happen.”

Texas has 38 seats in the House, with 25 in Republican hands. California has 52 seats, 43 of them filled by Democrats. Political analysts say that California could redraw the districts so that only three or four Republicans win.

California GOP Blasts State Plan

California’s Republican delegation issued a statement, criticizing Newsom’s proposal.

“A partisan political gerrymander is not what the voters of California want as they clearly stated when they passed the Voters First Act,” the statement said. “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.”

California’s GOP delegation includes Central Valley Representatives Vince Fong, R-Bakersfield; Tom McClintock, R-Elk Grove; and David Valadao, R-Hanford.

“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,” the California GOP delegation said.

Costa: Texas and California Plans Bad for Democracy

Asked if the potential gerrymandering by Texas and California is good for democracy, Costa said, “I don’t think so.”

To redistrict “only for political reasons, I think is wrong. You know, you’re trying to put your finger on the scale or decide who your voters are,” Costa said.

Costa also said he spoke with Texas Republican members of the House and “they’re not wild about this idea.”

“Voters in America don’t like their elected officials, their politicians, choosing who they want their voters to be,” Costa said.