Representative Kevin Kiley (R-CA) introduced legislation on Monday that would prevent states from redrawing congressional boundaries until after the 2030 census.
The move comes as Texas Republicans prepare to unveil a high-stakes redistricting plan that could shift the balance of power in the U.S. House by creating five new GOP-leaning districts.
According to Kiley, the bill is intended to “stop a damaging redistricting war” between red and blue states.
Critics, however, accuse him of undermining President Donald Trump’s efforts to expand the Republican majority and shielding his own seat in an increasingly Democrat-leaning California.
The proposed legislation would directly impact Texas Republicans’ ability to implement their new map, which targets several Democratic incumbents.
The plan is expected to eliminate Democratic strongholds in urban areas and force vulnerable Democrats into tougher districts.
Texas GOP lawmakers are focusing on regions Trump won by double digits in 2024, according to Trending Politics.
Kiley has framed the bill as a response to what he called “partisan manipulation” in both red and blue states.
In a recent interview, he pointed to California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D) controversial attempt last year to sideline the state’s independent redistricting commission—an effort rejected by voters.
Kiley said the push in Sacramento showed how political leaders in both parties were increasingly willing to “rig the process.”
“You have politicians saying ‘oh, we’re going to defeat these people not through having a free and fair election but just by moving some lines around on a map,’” he said. “California voters very clearly said that’s not the way it should be done.”
When asked whether Texas Republicans were engaging in similar tactics, Kiley expressed reservations but stopped short of drawing a direct comparison.
While he said he didn’t fully support Texas’s approach, he pointed to California’s partisan imbalance, arguing it has tilted redistricting outcomes in favor of Democrats for years.
The redistricting battle in Texas escalated Sunday when a group of Democratic state lawmakers fled the state to block a quorum in the Texas House.
They were later spotted near Chicago, where Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) reportedly offered protection, according to TP.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) blasted the move and threatened civil and criminal consequences, calling the Democrats’ walkout “a dereliction of duty.”
He also raised the possibility of extraditing the lawmakers if they refuse to return.
Kiley’s bill would freeze all redistricting activity nationwide until the next census, effectively neutralizing Texas’s effort and prompting pushback from Republicans who view the proposal as federal overreach.
The legislation highlights a growing divide within the Republican Party as leaders grapple with how to respond to redistricting fights playing out across the country.
While some Republicans support aggressive efforts to redraw maps in their favor, others warn that the long-term fallout could be greater than the short-term gains.
Kiley has not said whether he expects the bill to pass but maintained that Congress needs to establish national guardrails to avoid what he called “a never-ending war over congressional maps.”
