Local assemblymembers speak out against California redistricting after passage
Athena Jreij
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KESQ) — The California State Assembly and Senate have greenlit Governor Gavin Newsom’s redistricting plan.
On Thursday, the majority-Democrat Assembly approved the plan 57-20, sending it to the Senate where it then passed 30-8.
Among the no votes were District 36 Assemblyman Jeff Gonzalez, District 47 Assemblyman Greg Wallis and District 19 Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh.
Gov. Newsom proposed the move after the Texas House announced plans to redraw their maps. Opponents say the move by Texas was politically motivated, and could cost House Democrats five seats.
Speaking with News Channel 3 shortly after the vote, Assm. Gonzalez expressed concern that the redistricting fight wasted legislative time and resources.
“We have homeless veterans. We have a lot of things going on in Imperial County. We have a 20% unemployment rate. We should be focused on the most important things, and that’s taking care of our community first versus this partisan distraction.” Gonzalez said.
Assm. Wallis also expressed concern that the method legislators used to create the map was unfair. Since state voters elected an independent redistricting commission in 2010, those members have created maps each decade based off current census figures.
“If we abandon the independent redistricting process that Californians created, we don’t just lose a tool, we lose trust,” Wallis said.
However, Governor Gavin Newsom has defended the move, saying it’s necessary to protect democracy against Texas’s redistricting.
“They fired the first shot, Texas. We wouldn’t be here if Texas had not done what they just did,” Newsom said in a presser Thursday.
If the new maps yield Democratic votes, the party would pick up five seats lost in Texas. Assm. Gonzalez disagrees with the approach.
“They said, forget the rules. Throw out the rules. We’re going to do it this way. The excuses. Well, Texas is doing it and Trump is doing it. So we’re going to do it. That’s no excuse.”
Governor Newsom signed the plan into action, which will now send it to a special election vote on November 4th where voters can weigh in on the new maps.
“No other governor in U.S. history has ever signed a bill that will put the maps in front of the voters,” Newsom said.
Stick with News Channel 3 as we continue to follow the redistricting fight.
