Jeffrey Boling has lived in Rocklin for over 20 years and he doesn’t want to see his Republican district change hands.
“I want to keep those seats,” he said. “I don’t want those going to Democrats.”
Boling was sitting at a Rocklin restaurant with Sharron Redwine, who said she was worried about Newsom’s plans.
“I would vote against anything Newsom wants to do,” she said. “They can’t just do it for vengeance because Texas is doing it.”
They were referring to a new proposal from Governor Gavin Newsom that would let the legislature redraw congressional maps for the next election. It would also undo the state’s independent redistricting system until 2030, which supporters argue is necessary to counter Republican gerrymandering in Texas.
Further east in Kiley’s district in the Sierra foothills community of Auburn, Dan Ernest argued that what Texas and California are doing is legal, but that California is taking things too far.
“I do agree that they should be able to, and that includes California because of states' rights,” he said while drinking coffee at Auburn Central Square. “The problem there is we’re totally out of balance here.”
Ernest argued that California’s districts are already heavily skewed toward Democrats and that making any further changes feels undemocratic.
But others welcome the idea. Auburn shop owner Adele Wise said she’d be glad to see her Republican congressman lose his seat.
“I certainly have never voted for him and I’d be happy to see him go,” she said. “I think what’s happening in Texas is a nightmare all the way around and I understand that we have to try to combat what they’re doing.”
Republican state lawmakers, who are far outnumbered in the legislature, said they’re committed to fighting the changes. Some have brought up the lack of transparency in redrawing these maps and made the case that two wrongs don’t make a right.
Redistricting poll
A recent poll from the Citrin Center at UC Berkeley suggests most Californians want to keep the state’s independent redistricting commission. Nearly two-thirds of those surveyed, including the majority of Republicans and Democrats, want to leave redistricting to the independent commission.
That broad support suggests Newsom’s redistricting plan could face challenges when voters decide at the ballot box this November.
But Sacramento State political science professor Wesley Hussey says most voters probably haven’t thought much about the issue yet.
“I’m not sure potential voters actually at this point have a strong opinion and could probably still be swayed somewhat by advertising and the campaign,” he noted.
The survey also showed how difficult the issues can be to explain. One of the questions mentioned transferring redistricting power to the legislature, but didn’t spell out that the independent commission would return in 2030.
Hussey said that for many in the public, opinions on something this technical often depend on how the question is presented.
