In a wide-ranging interview with the Washington Examiner, Congressman Darrell Issa harshly criticized the new congressional districts proposed in California’s redistricting map, calling them “disgusting.” He alleged the map was deliberately drawn to eliminate Republican representation in the state.
Issa particularly called out the mapmakers for studying the home addresses of Republican lawmakers and redrawing districts out of spite. “They looked at my home address in Bonsall, and drew it out, my actual residence,” he said. “And there was no reason to do it, except that they were carefully drawing me out of it so that I either have to move again or be somebody running that can’t vote for themselves.”
Governor Gavin Newsom, whose district is also being redrawn, told the Washington Examiner that “his quest is to eliminate any opposing voices. It’s just ultimate power.” Meanwhile, Congressman Ken Calvert accused Newsom of being on a “revenge circuit,” stating, “He’s made it quite known that he is on the revenge circuit and that he’s going to remember anybody who puts money into opposing Proposition 50.” Calvert warned that the environment Newsom is fostering breeds fear and intimidation, with business owners reportedly scared to challenge the ballot measure due to possible repercussions.
Caught in the crossfire of Newsom’s political aspirations and his ongoing feud with former President Trump are five California Republican lawmakers—including Issa and Calvert—who face the risk of losing their seats. These changes could dramatically alter representation for constituents in rural and conservative pockets of the state.
Issa questioned the fairness of the redrawing, asking, “So, how does a MAGA Republican win in a [Kamala] Harris district? It’s designed to be somewhere between difficult and impossible. They drew it that way.” He also pointed out that Ken Calvert’s district was effectively erased, with parts merged into his own, saying, “They literally drew Ken Calvert’s district, made it disappear, while giving me the worst of his district. They didn’t just look at the map. They looked at our home addresses. They looked at all of the demographics to figure out how to draw each of the five of us out of business. Disgusting.”
California’s Proposition 50, backed by Newsom and Democratic leaders, was triggered in response to former President Trump encouraging Texas to redraw its maps to give Republicans a five-seat advantage in next year’s midterm elections. Since then, other Republican-led states such as Missouri, North Carolina, and Utah have followed suit.
Unlike Texas—where state lawmakers control the congressional map—California’s redistricting process is more complex. The state constitution requires an independent redistricting commission to draw the map, and any changes must be approved by voters. Although the state legislature passed the proposed map, Californians will vote on it on November 4 to decide whether it will apply to the 2026, 2028, and 2030 elections.
If voters approve the map, it is expected to turn three Republican-held seats into safe Democratic seats and shift two others to be more Democratic-leaning. Among other changes, the new lines would affect districts held by several Republican incumbents, including Issa.
Following these developments, Issa filed a lawsuit challenging California’s redistricting efforts. The lawsuit, filed Wednesday but dismissed by a federal judge in the Northern District of Texas on Friday, alleged that Proposition 50 directly harms Issa as both a congressman and a California voter. Issa argued that if Democrats gain control of the House, he would lose “seniority advantages in committee proceedings” and have “reduced influence over legislative priorities and committee work affecting my constituents.” He emphasized that a power shift would negatively impact veterans and immigrant communities within his district.
Similarly, Congressman Mike Jackson claimed he would “lose specific, concrete resources and authority necessary to serve his constituents because California’s scheme will succeed in flipping House control.” The lawsuit named Governor Newsom and California Secretary of State Shirley Weber as defendants and requested the judge to block the new map’s implementation if voters approve it on Tuesday.
However, not everyone shares Issa’s view. San Diego resident Jackie Johnson told the Washington Examiner, “This is another example of Congressman Issa being delusional and failing the people in his district. What has he ever done for us? We are voting on the maps and he is in court arguing our voices don’t matter. They do, and he’ll hear them when we vote him out of office.”
On the campaign front, Marni von Wilpert, a Democratic San Diego councilmember who flipped the city’s most conservative district blue in 2020, announced she would challenge Issa, an 11-term incumbent, in the newly proposed 48th District. She noted that the redrawn lines increase the chances for a younger LGBT Democrat like herself to unseat Issa.
Additionally, several other Democratic congressional hopefuls—including Brandon Riker, Anuj Dixit, and Abel Chavez—who had planned to run against Ken Calvert, announced they would switch to challenge Issa if the new map is approved. At least one Republican has also hinted at switching districts to run against Issa under the new boundaries.
The redistricting battle in California underscores the high stakes and intense political maneuvering as both parties prepare for the upcoming elections. Voters will ultimately decide on Proposition 50 and the fate of these new districts in November.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/campaigns/congressional/3872252/newsom-carves-issa-home-out-of-his-district-prop-50/