State lawmakers gear up for contentious debate, votes on redistricting plan

OAKLAND, Calif. - Thursday is expected to be a contentious day in Sacramento, where state lawmakers are scheduled to debate – and vote on – a controversial plan to redraw California's congressional map, with the goal of adding seats for Democrats in Congress. It comes on the heels of a major vote in Texas on Wednesday to revamp that state's districts to help the Republican Party. 

Democratic Congresswoman speaks out on redistricting at Albany town hall 

Democratic U.S. Rep. Lateefah Simon did not mince words at an Albany town hall Wednesday night, voicing support for a plan to redraw California's congressional districts. 

"I will organize every single day until we get to that special election so we can fight these bastards in Texas and all over," said Simon. 

Those words came hours after the Texas legislature approved a similar measure to help Republicans. 

Newsom meets with party leaders in Washington 

"You sure as hell better believe Democrats are ready to fight. This is a new Democratic Party. This is a new day. There's a new energy out there all across this country, and we are going to meet fire with fire," said Gov. Gavin Newsom, who met with party leaders in Washington Wednesday.

That meeting came ahead of key votes Thursday in Sacramento, where Democrats expect to pass a measure to let voters decide on those new maps in a November special election. 

"Well, I think the California legislature will do the right thing. We have to push back," said Simon. 

Supreme Court against GOP effort to block redistricting

Wednesday night, the California Supreme Court killed a GOP-led effort to block the legislation. 

But those Republicans, Sens. Tony Strickland and Suzette Martinez Valladares, and Assembly members Tri Ta and Kathryn Sanchez, quickly responded in a statement, saying in part, "Today's Supreme Court decision is not the end of this fight...Californians deserve fair, transparent elections, not secret backroom deals to protect politicians."

"Two wrongs don't make a right," said Sacramento-based Republican strategist Tim Rosales. "California voters voted to take the gerrymandering and redistricting process out of the politicians' hands. And so here we are, back to the future."

New poll shows support among Californians

It comes as Axios reports that a new poll, notably from Newsom's pollster David Binder, shows 57% of California voters support the proposal, with 35% opposed and 8% undecided. 

But other recent polling shows voters opposed to taking power away from the Independent Redistricting Commission. 

What they're saying:

"It isn't the way it's supposed to be," said Ken Hecht of Berkeley. "But we're in it. We got to win it."

"I think we need to think it through carefully," said Christina Hecht of Berkeley. 

"We have to do everything we can," said Dr. Victor Pineda of Berkeley. 

Endorsement from Obama

Former President Barack Obama backed the redistricting plan on Wednesday, calling Newsom's approach "smart and measured" in a social media post. 

Simon called that endorsement important, but added, "The endorsements I am looking for is the mother who runs the laundromat at the corner and the babysitter and the nurse. Those are the folks in California that I'm going to be working to convince that this is the right thing to do."

What's next:

State lawmakers in both the Assembly and the Senate are set to take floor votes on the redistricting plan Thursday. Both chambers convene at 9am.