California Gov. Gavin Newsom has escalated a social-media campaign that mimics President Donald Trump’s tone and branding while pressing a mid-decade redistricting plan designed to shore up Democratic control of the U.S. House of Representatives. Newsom’s official account has added 250,000 followers and logged 1.5 million profile visits since Aug. 1, and his team is marketing “Newsom 2028” and other Trump-style merchandise to keep the spotlight on the initiative. The legislation, approved by the Democratic-controlled legislature on Aug. 21, would temporarily replace the state’s independent map with one that could give Democrats up to five additional seats, lifting their edge in the 52-member delegation to roughly 48–4. Voters are set to decide the measure in a Nov. 4 special election. A UC Berkeley/LA Times survey found 46 percent of registered voters support the change, 36 percent oppose it and 18 percent are undecided. Newsom casts the move as retaliation for a Republican plan in Texas—advanced at Donald Trump’s urging—that also seeks five extra GOP seats ahead of the 2026 midterms. Similar tit-for-tat maneuvers are being weighed in Illinois, Missouri, New York and other states, intensifying what analysts describe as a national redistricting arms race. California Republicans responded with a lawsuit asking the state Supreme Court to block the fast-tracked legislation, arguing the constitution’s 30-day public-review requirement was ignored. The plaintiffs want the court either to rule immediately or freeze action until mid-September, potentially jeopardising Newsom’s timeline. The court had not acted as of late Sunday.