A congressman from Texas is asking a federal judge to block a retaliatory move by California to wipe out Republican congressional gains the Trump administration hopes to secure through Texas’ controversial mid-decade redistricting.
California’s response to Texas in the form of a constitutional amendment election is “plainly unconstitutional and retaliatory,” Rep. Ronny Jackson (R) said in a lawsuit filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of Texas.
If California succeeds, Jackson says it will dilute his power as a Republican member in the House and leave him vulnerable to losing his chair on two subcommittees.
Jackson filed the lawsuit in his hometown Amarillo, Texas, a single-judge division in the Northern District of Texas. The case is assigned to Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, an appointee of President Donald Trump favored by conservative litigants.
The tit-for-tat between the two large states could determine which party controls the House after the 2026 midterm elections.
The challenge filed Aug. 29 comes days after California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed legislation on Aug. 21 initiating a statewide election in November on adopting a temporary Congressional map.
