Hundreds rally in Oakland against Texas redistricting, including some who oppose Newsom's plan
Hundreds of people rallied in Oakland on Saturday afternoon as part of a nationwide day of action denouncing efforts to redraw congressional districts in Texas.
Many Democratic leaders are calling the fight a "political emergency." But not everyone at the rally supports Gov. Gavin Newsom's proposal to counteract those efforts with a redistricting plan in California.
All the demonstrators agreed on one point: they oppose President Trump's push to redraw Texas congressional lines. But some questioned whether California should respond in kind.
"I appreciate that we are getting feisty," said Joanna Gubman, a Bay Area voter. "I don't actually like the solution because I think it's important for all of us here in California to be standing up for a democratic system."
Gubman asked, if what Texas is doing is wrong, why would California do the same thing? As a mother of a three-year-old daughter, she said she wants to lead by example and always do the right thing.
"We're here to be fair and have integrity," Gubman said.
She wasn't alone. Another rally-goer agreed that California doesn't need to redraw its district lines.
"I don't think we need any changes because we have the fair, democratic, progressive representation that we already have—the officials we already voted for," said Adriana Martinez, an Oakland voter. "So we don't have to change the system anymore."
But Democratic leaders at the rally argued that Trump "doesn't play by the rules," forcing them to consider aggressive measures to protect voting rights.
Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee, who was born and raised in Texas and served decades in Congress, said Trump's actions threaten democracy nationwide.
"Here in Oakland, we're fighting back because we know that what happens in Texas, they come for Texans today, they come for us tomorrow," Lee said. "This is about protecting our democracy and [Trump is] trying to dismantle it."
Lee's successor in Congress, U.S. Rep. Lateefah Simon, went further, accusing Trump of trying to manipulate the next election.
"They're going to change the way folks vote in Texas, to really push the Latino and African-American votes to the side, creating really an all-Republican state," Simon said. "We know that is against the Civil Rights Act and we're fight back."
Local Democrats acknowledged they're not enthusiastic about Newsom's redistricting idea either, but some said they see it as necessary.
"Trump has clearly broken the rules," said Alameda County Supervisor Nikki Fortunato Bas. "He is trying to rig the election in 2026 to win more seats, and so we can't just sit back."
Former Oakland Councilmember Dan Kalb agreed.
"Congress is a national body. And so what happens in other states impacts us here in California," Kalb said. "We have to counteract that. Maybe we have to hold our nose to do it, but we have to do it."
Still, Gubman said she plans to stick to her principles.
"I don't know what the right solution is—other than to turn out and vote in 2026 and be so overwhelming in our rejection of fascism," she said.
Newsom's proposed redistricting plan would need voter approval in a November election. But Saturday's rally suggested he may have some convincing to do, even among registered Democrats.