California is preparing to challenge Texas over a proposed redistricting plan that could shift five congressional seats from Democratic to Republican control, a move that has quickly become one of the most closely watched political developments of the summer. In Olympia, the question now is whether Washington will step into the fight.
The plan in Texas, pushed by Republican lawmakers, would redraw congressional boundaries mid-decade — a rare and politically charged move. Redistricting happens typically after the national census, intended to reflect population shifts. But it can also be used as a political weapon, a process known as gerrymandering, where district lines are shaped to lock in partisan advantage for years. In this case, the proposed Texas map is designed to flip five seats currently held by Democrats.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has already made his position clear. If Texas changes its maps to favor Republicans, California will redraw its own maps to favor Democrats, effectively neutralizing the advantage. “If they rig it, we’ll rig it right back,” is how one aide described the governor’s stance. The approach signals an escalation that could turn a state-level dispute into a cross-country political standoff.
Washington’s position is less specific. The state’s congressional maps are drawn by an independent redistricting commission, insulating them from direct partisan interference. But that independence does not mean Washington is without influence. Governor Jay Inslee has not publicly commented on whether he would support California’s plan. Still, the state could take other measures, from joining legal challenges to lending political and financial support to candidates in the affected districts.
What happens in Texas will matter in Washington. Control of Congress shapes decisions on federal transit funding, climate legislation, technology regulation, and immigration policy — all issues with profound impacts on Seattle and the wider state. Funding for Sound Transit’s expansion, the fate of environmental laws backed by Washington lawmakers, the rules governing major employers like Amazon and Microsoft, and protections for immigrant communities could all be influenced by the balance of power in the House of Representatives.
If Texas succeeds in flipping five seats, the Republican Party’s narrow majority in the House could grow more secure, reducing the leverage of Washington’s delegation and its ability to shape national policy. For that reason, the decision on whether to join California’s fight is not simply about solidarity between two West Coast states — it is about how Washington sees its role in defending the fairness of the electoral system nationwide.
For now, the governor’s silence leaves the question open. But with the Texas vote expected soon, Washington may have to decide quickly whether to stand alongside California in what could become a defining battle over the future of redistricting in America.
