California Republicans frustrated that Trump staying out of redistricting fight: report

Republican officials in California are expressing dismay with President Donald Trump for staying out of the fight with Gov. Gavin Newsom over an effort to redistrict the state that could cost Republicans multiple seats in the House.

According to a report from Politico, California Republicans are choosing their words carefully when complaining about the president turning his back on their efforts to derail Proposition 50, with Politico’s Alex Gangitano writing “the White House has been backing away from campaigning against Democrats’ efforts to redraw California’s House map, appearing largely resigned to the idea it will pass given Democrats’ strong polling advantage.”

According to KTLA last week, “A new Emerson College poll found that 57 percent of likely California voters support Prop 50, which authorizes temporary changes to the state congressional maps, while 37 percent oppose it.”

The report notes the state's GOP leaders have good reason to be frustrated after “Trump, who rarely shies away from a fight with one of his chief foils in Newsom, vowed in August to file lawsuits against California over the redistricting measure. He hasn’t followed through with that promise.”

According to a White House insider, “The president’s never going to shy away from a fight with California, we all know that. Do I think there are other fights like immigration, like tamping down on the crime? On the totem pole of the fight with Gavin Newsom, I don’t think the gerrymander fight is top three.”

Former Rep. Mimi Walters (R-CA) claimed the issue is bigger than just California. “I think what the Republicans are trying to do is make this a local issue. What the Democrats are trying to do is make this a national issue,” she explained. “Unfortunately for Republicans, there’s not as many Republicans as there are Democrats in our state and the Democrats have the money behind them on Prop 50.”

A Californian with close ties to the state’s GOP leadership agreed, telling Politico, “I assume Kevin McCarthy and President Trump are aligned, but the White House’s lack of engagement at this point is an indication that the ‘No’ campaign is struggling.”

That individual lamented that Trump may have given up too early

“Two weeks ago, if President Trump had been more active, and excited the 20 percent of solid MAGA voters in California, it may have made a difference in this low turnout election,” that source suggested.

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