California Legislative Democrats – with the support of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) — are gearing up to add five additional Democratic U.S. House of Representatives. That move, those leaders say, counters partisan redistricting efforts in Texas.
Last week, the state Legislature passed ACA 8 which will appear on the ballot as Proposition (prop) 50 – the “Election Rigging Response Act” – in a special election set for Nov. 4. The bill gives Californians the chance to adopt a temporary Congressional map favorable to Democrats. CLBC chair Sen. Akilah Weber Pierson (D-San Diego) stated that “California’s response is not one I take lightly” and the redistricting measures are about “defending our right to fair representation.”
“Californians have for far too long felt the consequences of decisions made far from our state, and we are now bearing the brunt of the Trump administration’s policies,” Weber Pierson stated.
“Tariffs are driving up consumer prices, changes in healthcare policy are increasing costs and narrowing access, federal support for vital infrastructure is becoming increasingly unreliable, and cuts to our educational systems are limiting opportunities for some of our most vulnerable communities,” Weber Pierson continued.
According to the CLBC, Black communities in California and across the country have been disproportionately harmed by the policies and funding reversals of the Trump administration. Assemblymember Rhodesia Ransom (D-Stockton), also a member of the CLBC, said during the floor debate on Aug. 21 that it was necessary to pass bills to place Prop 50 on the ballot to protect California.
“This is about citizens who are terrorized. With those being bullied, in need of someone to stand up, California is not going to sit down and be a bystander,” Ransom said. “The rules have been changed, and we have to act accordingly.”
All three Black members of California’s delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives – Congresswomen Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA-37), Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12), and Maxine Waters (D-CA-43) are not likely to be affected by the proposed redrawn Congressional maps.
In Sacramento, the 12-member CLBC was deeply involved in promoting redistricting efforts leading up to the final votes. They stood alongside their legislative colleagues voicing their support during legislative hearings and news conferences held around the state last week.
The CLBC also declared in a letter that it stands in full solidarity with the redistricting effort after Newsom signed the bill last week.
“This is not simply about politics. It is about justice, fairness, and ensuring that the voices of Black Americans are not erased from the halls of power,” CLBC stated. “The California Legislative Black Caucus will continue to fight to protect the vote, defend the dignity of our communities, and uphold the promise of equality under the law.”
The debate in both houses of the State Legislature lasted about a total of six hours before the measures passed with a super majority vote by the Democrats. Republican lawmakers, in the upper and lower houses, fought against Democrats’ plans, emphasizing that electoral maps had already been drawn by the public.