Newsom celebrates California redistricting win during Texas visit

California Gov. Gavin Newsom told a crowd in Texas on Saturday that Democrats winning back the House of Representatives in 2026 is “everything.”

Newsom, 58, continued his ascent over the weekend, four days after California’s Proposition 50 to redistrict the state’s congressional map in favor of Democrats passed in a landslide.

Newsom also couldn’t resist attacking his frequent foe, President Donald Trump.

“He’s a historic president, but he’s historically unpopular,” he told the crowd in Houston. “And he had a terrible night on Tuesday.”

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In addition to Prop 50 in California, Democrats also won gubernatorial races in New Jersey and Virginia, and Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani easily defeated Democratic independent candidate Andrew Cuomo in the New York mayoral election.

Proposition 50 was a response to the Texas legislature redistricting the congressional map in favor of Republicans over the summer, and following the passage of Proposition 50 on Tuesday, Newsom called on other Democratic states to follow suit.

“We need to see extraordinary leaders of other states who are doing extraordinary things also meet this moment head on,” he said at a late-night news conference Tuesday. “The moment Speaker Jeffries is sworn in as speaker of the House of Representatives, we could effectively end Donald Trump’s presidency as we know it. Everything is at stake.”

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He continued his celebration on Saturday, telling the crowd: “There were lines around the block two hours after polling had stopped because people wanted to be heard, not just seen, they wanted to send a message. But as I said, we cannot rest until we take it back.”

The governor echoed: “There is no more important race in our lives than the House of Representatives, taking back the House and getting a speaker. [Hakeem] Jeffries was sworn in the following November. This is everything. That’s the whole point.”

Attendees at Newsom’s Houston rally on Saturday. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)

“And that starts today,” he continued. “It started on Tuesday.”

Newsom added: “We can shape the future right here in Texas. We can shape the future throughout the South and across the United States. You have that power.”

Trump and the GOP led the party’s effort to pad the House majority to retain control of the chamber in the 2026 midterm elections, when the party in power traditionally faces political headwinds and loses seats. Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio drew new maps as part of the president’s efforts.

During his first term in the White House, Trump aims to prevent what happened when Democrats regained the House majority in the 2018 midterm elections.

Although he has not announced his intention to run for president, Newsom is seen as a possible frontrunner among Democrats in the 2028 presidential election.

Newsom said winning back the House of Representatives in 2026 is “everything.” (AP Photo/Karen Warren)

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While two other Democratic blue-state governors with likely national ambitions in 2028, J.B. Pritzker of Illinois and Wes Moore of Maryland, are considering new maps in their states to create one or two more blue-leaning congressional districts, Newsom has become the most visible leader so far in the redistricting battles and the first Democrat to succeed.

Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.