California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a bill that will allow voters to decide on new congressional maps in November.

California

California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed legislation that places newly drawn congressional district maps on the state ballot for voter approval. This action follows a wave of redistricting efforts in other states, notably Texas, where Republican lawmakers are advancing maps that could increase their party's representation in Congress by up to five seats.

The California bill is viewed as a countermeasure by state Democrats, aiming to offset potential Republican gains by potentially adding up to five Democratic seats in Congress. The development is part of a broader national trend, with both Democratic and Republican-controlled states considering new maps that could benefit their respective parties ahead of upcoming midterm elections.

Newsom signs bill putting new California congressional maps on ballot

Meanwhile, the Texas State House is voting right now on the controversial new congressional maps. Those maps could give the Republican Party up to five more seats in Congress. Some in the White House has pressured the Lone Star State Republicans to get done. Let's bring back CBS News reporter Erica Brown live for us outside the White House. Now, in the last hour, Erica, Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill sending California's new maps to the state ballot this November. So what happens between now and then? Well, for now, California can't do anything else. The state legislature has responded to the Texas move by House Republicans to redraw maps that will be favorable to them acquiring about five more seats in Congress. So the California state Democrats did what they could to offset those potential gains with this bill that could give California Democrats up to five more seats to Congress here in Washington, D.C. So at this point, with the governor's signature, it then will head to the ballot for California voters to approve. But Governor Newsom said that they are here because the president is unpopular and he is aware that he could lose the midterm election in terms of Republican control of the House, which will be critical to his agenda in the second half of his second term. Now, we do know that the president has pushed Republican controlled states to consider redistricting plans that could give Republicans more seats in the House. And we also know that this hasn't stopped here in Texas and California. The president is looking beyond that at other states like Missouri. Republicans are looking at other states like Florida, for example, in Indiana. And Democrats are also looking at states like Illinois and Maryland to consider new congressional maps that could benefit their respective parties. So California now, with the governor signing this bill at the first to redraw maps that could be favorable to one party. We anticipate that Texas will soon follow. That bill is being debated right now in the Senate. It will likely pass the Senate and then head to Texas Governor Abbott's desk for his signature. And then we could see this ripple effect across the country with the Democratic controlled states, Republican controlled states looking at ways that they could potentially redraw maps to benefit their respective parties. This all comes down to which party could control the House after the midterm elections. Elizabeth, Eric Brown, Libra's outside the White House. Thanks so much, Erica.

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