Californians Oppose Gerrymandering Yet Split on Retaliating Against Texas

A new survey by the University of California, Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies finds most Californians oppose partisan gerrymandering in principle but are split on how the state should respond if Texas adopts a heavily Republican redistricting map. According to the poll, 63% of respondents said gerrymandering is “never acceptable.” Yet when asked what California should do if Texas redraws its congressional boundaries for partisan gain, 38% favored retaining the state’s independent redistricting commission, while 35% supported drawing new partisan districts to counter Texas. The remainder were undecided. Separate nationwide polling referenced by Politico indicates a similar ambivalence among Democratic voters across the country: while they broadly condemn gerrymandering, a majority would approve of California adopting a partisan map to offset Texas’s advantage.