Despite supporting independent redistricting, former President Obama endorsed California Democrats' proposal to redraw the state's congressional districts to counter efforts by President Trump and GOP state leaders to push mid-decade partisan gerrymandering.

Former President Barack Obama is in favor of California’s redistricting plan. The former president threw his support behind the effort while the state legislature continues to advance bills to convene a special election in November, when voters would decide whether to implement congressional maps for the next three elections.

Newsom has engineered the high-risk strategy in response to President Donald Trump’s own brinkmanship. Trump pushed Texas Republicans to reopen the legislative maps they passed in 2021 to squeeze out up to five new GOP seats to help the party stave off a midterm defeat.

The former president said that what Texas Republicans are doing requires an equally aggressive response from Democrats.

President Obama supports California Governor Gavin Newsom’s plan to redraw California’s congressional districts in response to new maps in Texas that are more favorable to Republicans.