‘There are 50 swamps’: State Freedom Caucus Network helps conservatives fight the ‘uniparty’
Andrew Roth, president of the State Freedom Caucus Network, helms an organization fighting to help conservatives win and wield control of state governments across the nation. “There is a swamp in all 50 states. There are 50 swamps,” Roth told Fox News Digital during a Tuesday interview, noting that “liberal Republicans” join with Democrats to expand government. This “uniparty” phenomenon exists in the U.S. Congress and in every state, Roth indicated, asserting that in red states many Democrats cannot win elections unless they don the Republican label. “They say they’re good on guns, and babies, and a few other things, but then they get in there, and they vote like liberals, growing government[.] ” Roth noted. He said that while the goal of state freedom caucuses is to slash taxes and government, the first step is exposing “deceitful lawmakers for who they are. And then once you can do that, then you can hopefully start getting good people elected and then cut the budget, cut taxes, cut spending,” he explained. COWBOY STATE REPUBLICAN WHO MOUNTED GUBERNATORIAL BID ‘ISN’T CONSERVATIVE ENOUGH,’ FREEDOM CAUCUS CHAIR SAYS So far, the organization boasts freedom caucuses in 13 of the 50 states, including Pennsylvania, Maryland, South Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Illinois, Missouri, South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Arizona and Idaho – but deep red states like Texas and Florida are conspicuously absent from the list. Asked whether this is because there are not enough conservative legislators in those states to form a freedom caucus, Roth replied, “That’s absolutely correct,” explaining, “In Texas I could probably say there’s only one or two House members, and in Florida I’m not even sure I can say two.” There are “zero” conservative state lawmakers in the Alabama, Tennessee and Mississippi state legislatures, he said. FORMER FREEDOM CAUCUS CHAIR BOB GOOD CALLS OUT ‘THE BIG GLARING WEAKNESS FOR ALL OF REPUBLICAN GOVERNMENT’ “This is a big, big problem” he noted, “and I don’t think enough people realize how bad it is.” Roth indicated that the organization provides a state director in each freedom caucus state – those directors help read legislation, offer vote recommendations, work with other groups, and help with organizing and strategizing, he explained. GOP LOUISIANA STATE SENATOR SAYS HE’S RUNNING FOR US SENATE BECAUSE INCUMBENT REPUBLICAN ‘SUCKS’ Roth noted that Louisiana state Sen. Blake Miguez, a Republican who belongs to that state’s freedom caucus, is challenging incumbent GOP U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy.
Texas Democrat who rails against billionaire cash takes $59K from Trump-backing megadonor
Texas Democrat James Talarico has campaigned on getting megadonor cash out of elections, but records show he has been cashing checks from an unlikely source: a Republican, Trump-backing billionaire. Talarico’s single largest donation last year came from a PAC backed by casino mogul Miriam Adelson, the widow of longtime Republican megadonor Sheldon Adelson. Records show Talarico received $59,000 from Adelson’s Texas Sands PAC in 2024, making the group his largest donor for that year. A representative for Talarico’s office defended his accepting the funds, telling Politico that while he opposes big-donor cash influencing elections, “he will not unilaterally disarm and let Texas Republicans play by different rules. “Rep. Talarico believes our campaign finance system is deeply broken,” spokesman Antonio Esparza told the outlet. “That’s why he filed legislation to cap campaign contribution limits in the state of Texas.” ABBOTT SCORES BIG WIN IN REDISTRICTING BATTLE AS TEXAS DEMOCRATS’ BLOCKADE COLLAPSES Talarico proposed legislation last year that would have capped donations to state-level lawmakers at $10,000. There is no cap on such donations under current law. Reports on the donations come after Talarico appeared on the “Joe Rogan Experience” podcast in July, during which he blasted Republicans for accepting billionaire dollars. “Basically every single Republican state senator in Texas has taken their money. Every single one. A majority of the Republicans in the State House have taken their money,” he told Rogan, referring to oil-based billionaires in the state. “They increasingly run this whole government here in Texas.” NEWSOM-STYLE REDISTRICTING EFFORTS CRITIQUED BY CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATS AS RECENTLY AS JULY, STATEMENTS SHOW Meanwhile, Adelson’s PAC has routinely supported both Democrats and Republicans on the state level in Texas, pushing for the state to legalize casino gambling. In 2023, Talarico voted in favor of a measure that would have given voters the chance to approve casino legalization through a constitutional amendment. Talarico was among the roughly 50 Texas Democrats who fled the state earlier this month in an attempt to block Republicans from adopting a new congressional map. ‘TIRED OF DEMOCRACY DYING’: NEWSOM REDISTRICTING PUSH FACES GOP BACKLASH OVER VOTER RIGHTS CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Talarico and his fellow Democrats returned to Austin this week, saying they achieved their goal of galvanizing Democratic opposition across the country. Several Democratic states are now threatening to carry out their own redistricting plans, as parties battle for control over the House of Representatives in the 2026 midterm elections.
Ex-Biden spin doctor Ian Sams, slammed by Trump as ‘below average,’ grilled in House autopen probe
An eleventh former Biden administration aide is appearing before House Oversight Committee investigators on Thursday morning as Republicans continue to investigate allegations of a “cover-up” in the previous White House. Ian Sams is a longtime Democrat communications operative who most recently served as a senior spokesman for former Vice President Kamala Harris’ 2024 campaign. Before that, he served as a senior advisor and spokesman for the White House Counsel’s Office under former President Joe Biden, where his primary role entailed responding to congressional probes mainly launched by Republicans. RON KLAIN DODGES REPORTERS AFTER MARATHON GRILLING IN BIDEN COVER-UP PROBE “You were a first line of defense to spin negative stories about the president and his mishaps,” House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., wrote to Sams in late June. He pointed out that Sams’ tenure in that role, which lasted from May 2022 to late August 2024, stretched across much of the latter half of Biden’s term. “The scope of your responsibilities—both official and otherwise—and personal interactions within the Oval Office cannot go without investigation, given the mounting evidence that President Biden was incapacitated for much, if not all, of his single term,” Comer wrote. “If White House staff carried out a strategy lasting months or even years to hide the chief executive’s condition—or to perform his duties—Congress may need to consider a legislative response.” LONGTIME BIDEN AIDE SAYS HE STOOD TO EARN UP TO $8M HAD PRESIDENT WON RE-ELECTION Comer’s committee is investigating whether Biden’s top White House aides covered up signs of mental decline in the former president from both the media and fellow Democrats. Of particular interest to House investigators is the myriad clemency orders that Trump signed in the latter half of his four-year term, and whether those decisions and others signed via autopen were made with Biden’s full awareness. Biden maintained he “made every decision” in a recent interview with The New York Times. Sams was also notably thrust into the spotlight during his time as a Harris 2024 spokesman after being called out by name by President Donald Trump. “Sams is just a below-average guy, with memorized FAKE NEWS soundbites, almost all of which are WRONG,” Trump wrote on Truth Social after one of Sams’ appearances on Fox News Channel last year. While Sams is the eleventh former Biden White House aide appearing, he is just the eighth to come in for a voluntary interview. Three other former Biden officials – ex-White House physician Kevin O’Connor and former senior advisors Anthony Bernal and Annie Tomasini – were compelled to appeal via subpoena. Like the sit-downs before his, Sams’ interview will be taking place behind closed doors and is expected to be led by lawyers for both Republicans and Democrats on the committee.
Trump-aligned legal group probes Biden-era organ transplant program over ethical concerns
FIRST ON FOX — A Trump-aligned legal group founded by White House aide Stephen Miller filed Freedom of Information Act requests Thursday targeting a Biden organ transplant program that critics warn could be open to abuse. The requests from America First Legal went to the Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and the Health Resources and Services Administration. At issue is the Increasing Organ Transplant Access Model, a six-year mandatory program finalized in December 2024 and set to take effect in July 2025, which aims to expand access to kidney transplants but has drawn criticism from Trump officials who warn it may be vulnerable to outside influence. The model builds on earlier payment experiments, testing whether financial rewards and penalties can improve care and expand access for Medicare and Medicaid patients. Trump officials and allies, including America First Legal, argue the system risks distortion by outside interests — a charge that prompted AFL’s FOIA requests as part of a broader investigation. TRUMP’S EXECUTIVE ORDER ON VOTING BLOCKED BY FEDERAL JUDGES AMID FLURRY OF LEGAL SETBACKS They cited in part recent findings from an HRSA-led probe published earlier this year. That investigation suggested third-party groups or for-profit organizations “may have unduly influenced the IOTA Model”— though their exact role or the extent they may have done so is unclear. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. also cited concerns from the study, which the department said in a statement “revealed clear negligence and disturbing practices” by a large organ procurement organization in the U.S., prompting him to launch a new reform initiative. In previewing the FOIA requests to Fox News Digital, AFL cited related concerns about patient safety, ethical misconduct, and discrimination in organ allocation, among other things. The requests ask HHS, CMS and HRSA for a long list of information regarding the program and related correspondence — including emails, letters and memos between agency personnel and third-party representatives about the development or implementation of the IOTA Model. They also seek meeting records, agendas and summaries of discussions involving agency staff and outside officials. The payment model will affect more than 100 U.S. transplant hospitals over six years, imposing mandatory financial incentives and penalties tied to a final performance score. FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKS TRUMP’S BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP BAN FOR ALL INFANTS, TESTING LOWER COURT POWERS IOTA was touted as a way to help increase access to organ donors and transplants in the U.S. and help address the long waiting list of patients awaiting a transplant, which as of last fall stood at roughly 90,000 people. Participating hospitals are evaluated for their performance in three key areas, according to CMS’s final rule, which took force in July, including the volume of kidney transplants, their matching efficiency, and post-transplant outcomes of their patients. But the role outside groups have played, including during the process of drafting the final rule, has prompted criticism and calls for additional scrutiny from Trump allies, including AFL. “Self-interested third parties should play no role in shaping America’s organ transplant policy,” AFL counsel Laura Stell told Fox News Digital in a statement previewing the FOIA requests and broader investigation. “Where monetary incentives and penalties come into play, there must be utmost certainty that CMS developed the program without influence from entities with improper motives.” America First Legal, though not officially part of the Trump administration, was founded by longtime Trump adviser Stephen Miller after Trump’s first presidential term. Miller stepped down from AFL before rejoining the White House in 2025 as Trump’s deputy chief of staff.
Trump hails Texas redistricting approval that could add five GOP congressional seats nationwide
President Donald Trump is calling Texas lawmakers’ approval of a sweeping redistricting plan to add up to five new GOP-leaning congressional seats a “Big WIN” for Republicans. Trump fired off a post via Truth Social hailing the state for “never letting us down,” saying the victory was more than a state win but a national turning point. He went on to urge other Republican-led states to follow the Lone Star State’s lead. “Big WIN for the Great State of Texas!!! Everything Passed, on our way to FIVE more Congressional seats and saving your Rights, your Freedoms, and your Country, itself. Texas never lets us down. Florida, Indiana, and others are looking to do the same thing. More seats equals less Crime, a great Economy, and a STRONG SECOND AMENDMENT. It means Happiness and Peace,” he said. TEXAS GOP LAWMAKERS POISED TO FINALIZE TRUMP-BACKED MAP AFTER DEM REDISTRICTING WALKOUT ENDS Trump also suggested that a move in that direction could secure as many as 100 additional seats for the GOP nationwide if they followed suit. “But Republicans, there is one thing even better – STOP MAIL-IN VOTING, a total fraud that has no bounds. Also, go to PAPER BALLOTS before it is too late – At one tenth the cost, faster, and more reliable. If we do these TWO things, we will pick up 100 more seats, and the CROOKED game of politics is over. God Bless America!!!,” the post went on. Texas Republicans pushed the new congressional map through the state House Wednesday in an 88–52 party-line vote, brushing aside Democratic objections in a bid to strengthen the GOP’s hold on Congress heading into 2026. WITH TEXAS DEMS BACK, TRUMP URGES LEGISLATURE: ‘PASS THIS MAP, ASAP’ While Trump celebrated the redistricting as a major Republican win, Democrats framed it as only the beginning of a much larger legal battle. “This part of the fight is over, but it is merely the first chapter… Our best shot is in the courts. This is not over. We will continue fighting,” said Rep. Gene Wu of Houston. Texas House Democrats also accused the GOP of trying to dilute minority voting power, saying the map was illegal and racially discriminatory. “Members, it breaks my heart to see how this illegal and rigged, mid-decade redistricting scheme is dividing our state and our country,” Rep. Chris Turner, a Democrat, said. “This is Texas, it’s not Washington D.C. The impulses of outside politicians and their billionaire backers shouldn’t dictate what we do in this chamber, in this House.” “This process was a total sham from the very beginning… This is a racist power grab that especially goes after our African American and Latino representatives,” said Rep. Jon Rosenthal Republicans defended the map as necessary to reflect population growth and safeguard voter representation. “Different from everyone else, I’m telling you, I’m not beating around the bush,” Rep. Todd Hunter, said about the map’s goal. “We have five new districts, and these five new districts are based on political performance.” California Gov. Gavin Newsom and the California Democrats unveiled their new map last week in an effort to nullify the map Texas Republicans were creating. If that bill is passed, it would create five new Democratic-leaning congressional districts that would counteract Texas. The dueling maps highlight the high-stakes fight for control of the House, with both parties using redistricting to try to lock in their advantage before 2026.
DeSantis posthumously awards Governor’s Medal of Freedom to Jimmy Buffett, politicians: ‘Great Floridians’
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has posthumously awarded five Floridians, including singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett and former Republican and Democratic politicians, with the Governor’s Medal of Freedom. “I’m proud to recognize the legacies of these great Floridians,” DeSantis said in a statement. “Our state is better for their contributions, and we’re proud they called Florida home,” he continued. “They have each earned the honor of being awarded the Governor’s Medal of Freedom.” The governor awarded one of the state’s highest honors to Buffett, former GOP U.S. Rep. and state legislator Lincoln Diaz-Balart, former Democratic governor and U.S. Sen. Bob Graham, former Democratic governor and U.S. Rep. Buddy MacKay, and former Republican Florida House Speaker John Thrasher. MIKE CASTLE, DELAWARE’S LAST REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR AND CONGRESSMAN, DEAD AT 86 Buffett, who died in 2023 at the age of 76, was a legendary music icon who rose to fame in the 1970s and was best known for hits like “Margaritaville” and “Cheeseburger in Paradise.” On top of his musical pursuits, Buffett was involved in business as well, launching restaurants, resorts and merchandise under the “Margaritaville” brand, including opening his first Margaritaville store in Key West in 1985 and opening a Margaritaville Café nearby just two years later. “His legacy continues to influence music and culture in Florida’s coastal communities,” a release from the governor’s office said. SEN. RICK SCOTT ENDORSES TRUMP-BACKED FLORIDA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE Diaz-Balart, who passed away earlier this year at the age of 70, was a Cuban American who was exiled from his home country following the communist revolution. He was a strong advocate against communism and oppression, and pushed hard for a free Cuba during his time in office, which included working in Florida’s House and Senate before serving in the U.S. House. Graham, who died last year at the age of 87, served in both chambers of the Florida legislature before serving as governor and U.S. senator. “A Democrat, Graham was widely respected for his work on education, environmental conservation, and national security,” the release from the governor’s office said. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP MacKay, who was the state’s last Democratic governor, died last year at the age of 91. His public service also included serving in both chambers of the state legislature and the U.S. House, as well as being the Sunshine State’s lieutenant governor and later the U.S. special envoy for the Americas under the Clinton administration. Thrasher died earlier this year at the age of 81 after serving as Florida State University’s president, chair of the Republican Party of Florida and in both chambers of the state legislature. He also served in the Army during the Vietnam War. Fox News Digital reached out to the governor’s office for additional comment.
FIRST ON FOX: Navy slashes civilian public affairs jobs in push for military readiness
FIRST ON FOX: The Navy is taking bold steps to cut red tape and sharpen its focus on the fight. A new memo signed by Secretary of the Navy John C. Phelan orders a 35% cut to civilian Public Affairs Officer (PAO) billets and moves all hiring and contracting decisions under tighter control. Leaders say the goal is to make the force leaner, faster and more disciplined while saving taxpayer money. “The memo was signed with the intent to make a more lethal and agile force, placing the most capable people in the right positions to support the warfighter,” a Navy official told Fox News Digital on background. “It seeks to prioritize warfighting readiness, reinforce standards and discipline, as well as accelerate decision-making.” NAVY SECRETARY PUSHES REVIEW BOARD TO PURGE DEI FROM NAVAL ACADEMY AND RESTORE ‘WARRIOR ETHOS’ “The Department of the Navy must ensure public affairs resources are aligned to warfighting readiness, standards and discipline, and rapid decision-making,” the memo states. From now on, any civilian public affairs hiring must be approved by the Navy’s Chief of Information (CHINFO) or the Marine Corps Communications Directorate (CD). Contracts for media and messaging support will also be pooled into one system so commands across the fleet can use the same process. The memo directs that “civilian public affairs billets in headquarters, staff support, and non-operational environments shall be reduced or eliminated.” PENTAGON EYES 50% REDUCTION IN PERMANENT CHANGES OF STATION AS MILITARY FAMILIES BRACE FOR MOVING HIGH SEASON The changes come after a review found the civilian public affairs workforce had grown far beyond what was needed. The study flagged overlapping jobs, inconsistent messaging and inefficient spending. Navy leaders say the overhaul will not only trim costs, but also ensure that every communication effort supports readiness and the men and women on the front lines. The Marine Corps is not included in the cuts because it is already going through a separate review. GABBARD LAUNCHES ‘ONDI 2.0,’ WITH PLAN TO CUT WORKFORCE BY 40% For the Navy, the memo notes that “some billets may be realigned to active-duty or reserve Public Affairs Officers,” putting more uniformed leaders in charge of telling the Navy’s story. The directive also requires CHINFO and CD to “document projected cost savings and assess opportunities to reinvest in fleet support and uniformed public affairs capacity.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “This is about discipline, efficiency and lethality,” a senior Navy official told Fox News Digital. “Every resource we save here is a resource we can put back into readiness and the fight.”
Tea Party bus vandalized in Phoenix during nationwide tour, group says they ‘will not be intimidated’
FIRST ON FOX: The national Tea Party’s “Only Citizens Vote” tour bus had its tires slashed last night during a stop in Phoenix as the group has been traveling across the country to support the SAVE Act. Pictures provided to Fox News Digital show the vandalism that took place Tuesday night ahead of the tour bus’ planned stops in Tuscon and Scottsdale. The bus is wrapped in decals promoting the Tea Party and election integrity. “ONLY CITIZENS VOTE” the bus reads in big bold letters. HOSTILITY AGAINST CHURCHES A ‘GROWING TREND,’ AS STUDY FINDS HUNDREDS OF ATTACKS ON U.S. CHURCHES IN 2024 “This cowardly act is not just an attack on a vehicle, it’s an attack on the millions of Americans who believe in free speech, civic engagement, and secure elections,” Tea Party Patriots Action honorary chairperson, Jenny Beth Martin, told Fox News Digital in a statement. “Tea Party Patriots Action will not be intimidated,” she continued. “Our tour continues as planned, and we will keep rallying Americans to support this necessary legislation.” The tour, which had its first stop in Garden Grove, California, in mid-August, shows stops in 16 states. The tour’s finale will then be held in the nation’s capital, during which the group will deliver petition signatures to members of Congress in an effort to rally support for the SAVE Act. The SAVE Act aims to mandate that potential voters provide proof-of-citizenship documents when registering to vote. The bill would prohibit states from processing national voter registration forms without certain proof-of-citizenship, such as a passport, birth certificate, government-issued driver’s licenses, or military identification card. ALBUQUERQUE GOP HEADQUARTERS TARGETED IN ALLEGED ARSON: ‘DIRECT ASSAULT ON OUR VALUES’ The vandalism of the National Tea Party bus comes after a spate of other vandalism attempts targeting Republican entities and figures. Within the last month, the district office of Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Penn., was vandalized with red spray paint that scribbled messages, like “Mental illness is not a crime,” and “GOP = racism, rape, child rape, cover up,” according to images shared by CBS News. Meanwhile, earlier this year, several GOP headquarters across the country in multiple states, such as New York, Virginia and New Mexico, were reportedly hit as well. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Fearing a potential increase in violence following President Donald Trump’s move back into the White House this year, the head of the National Republican Congressional Committee, Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., told fellow Republican colleagues back in March to stop holding in-person town halls. Tuesday’s vandalism also follows incidents of property damage and assault against federal buildings and immigration officials in Los Angeles amid the Trump administration’s deportation crackdown there in June. Earlier this year, there was also a spate of violence against Tesla dealerships and Tesla cars during Elon Musk’s tenure working as a “special government employee” for Trump.
Texas Dem abruptly leaves call with Newsom, other party members after being told she’s committing felony
Texas Democratic state Rep. Nicole Collier abruptly left a call with California Gov. Gavin Newsom and other Democratic Party members after claiming she was told she was committing a felony by participating in the meeting from a state Capitol bathroom. Collier was speaking on a call with Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin, Newsom and several others while the Texas House of Representatives was simultaneously debating a redistricting bill backed by President Donald Trump. While speaking on the call, Collier claimed that the Texas redistricting bill violates the Voting Rights Act and “will prevent black and brown individuals from selecting the candidates of their choice because they’re cracking and packing these districts.” While Martin was speaking about 30 minutes into the call, Collier suddenly interrupted, saying, “Sorry, I have to leave. They said it’s a felony for me to do this.” ABBOTT SCORES BIG WIN IN REDISTRICTING BATTLE AS TEXAS DEMOCRATS’ BLOCKADE COLLAPSES “Apparently I can’t be on the floor or in the bathroom,” she continued, before turning to address someone off camera. “You told me I was only allowed to be here in the bathroom,” she told the person off camera before turning back to the call and saying, “No, hang on. Bye everybody. I’ve got to go.” Both Newsom and Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., immediately expressed outrage over Collier’s sudden departure. “That is outrageous,” said Booker. “Let me tell you something, Rep. Collier in the bathroom has more dignity than Donald Trump in the Oval Office.” “There you go,” Newsom responded, nodding his head. NEWSOM-STYLE REDISTRICTING EFFORTS CRITIQUED BY CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATS AS RECENTLY AS JULY, STATEMENTS SHOW “What they’re trying to do right there is silence an American leader, silence a black woman, and that is outrageous,” Booker added. “What we just witnessed, them trying to shut her down and saying it’s illegal for her to be in the bathroom and on this call, this is the lengths that they’re going to in Texas.” This comes after dozens of Democratic members of the Texas House fled the state and refused to return to the legislature for two weeks to hold up the redistricting bill by breaking quorum. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and other state leaders ordered the rogue Democrats to be arrested and threatened to have them removed from office if they did not return to fulfill their duties. After the Democrats’ return to the legislature, members faced heightened security measures designed to ensure a quorum was maintained. Democratic lawmakers said Texas Department of Public Safety officers followed them around Monday at the state Capitol and either guarded their offices or stayed in them and tailed them when they left. They said they had to sign “permission slips” and accept the surveillance to leave the building. ‘TIRED OF DEMOCRACY DYING’: NEWSOM REDISTRICTING PUSH FACES GOP BACKLASH OVER VOTER RIGHTS Rather than comply with the measures, Collier stayed on the House floor in the Texas Capitol on Monday night and Tuesday. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Despite the Democrats’ standoff, the Texas House finally approved maps Wednesday. Newsom announced he would advance a redistricting map in California to counter the Texas redistricting bill. On Friday, California Democrats and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) released a new district map that would likely eliminate five GOP congressional seats, theoretically nullifying the five additional seats Republicans would gain if Texas’ redistricting push is successful. Fox News Digital reached out to the offices of Booker and Newsom but did not immediately receive a response. Collier’s office declined to comment, citing the House still being in session.
Obama calls Newsom’s California redistricting move a ‘responsible approach’ to GOP tactics
Former President Barack Obama on Wednesday said he respects California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s push for a redistricting plan to add more Democratic seats in the blue state. “I believe that Gov. Newsom’s approach is a responsible approach. He said this is going to be responsible. We’re not going to try to completely maximize it,” Obama said at a fundraiser Tuesday on Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts, according to excerpts obtained by The Associated Press. “We’re only going to do it if and when Texas and/or other Republican states begin to pull these maneuvers. Otherwise, this doesn’t go into effect,” he added. OBAMA PRAISES DEMOCRATS WHO FLED TEXAS REDISTRICTING VOTE AS ‘INSPIRING’ In a post Wednesday on X, Obama said gerrymandering shouldn’t be a part of politics. Instead, it should be a “fair fight” between Republicans and Democrats based on the competition of ideas. Changes in Texas and California’s House seats could shift control of Congress in 2026. Some analysts say Democrats could pick up as many as five additional seats in California if Newsom’s plan succeeds, potentially canceling out Republican gains in Texas. The plan by Newsom is intended to counter a move by Texas over congressional redistricting ahead of next year’s midterm elections. In Austin, the GOP-dominated state House of Representatives last week resumed meeting at a second straight special session called by conservative Republican Gov. Greg Abbott. But Republicans in the Texas House were prevented from holding votes on a new map for two weeks when dozens of Democratic state representatives fled the state to deny the GOP a quorum in the Texas House. NEWSOM UNVEILING CALIFORNIA REDISTRICTING EFFORT TO COUNTER TRUMP-BACKED PUSH IN TEXAS “Since Texas is taking direction from a partisan White House and gerrymandering in the middle of a decade to try and maintain the House despite their unpopular policies, I have tremendous respect for how Governor Newsom has approached this,” Obama wrote on X. The former commander in chief said Newsom put forward a “smart, measured approach” designed to address “a very particular problem at a very particular moment in time.” Newsom is moving to hold a special election this year to get voter approval to undo the constitutional amendments that created the nonpartisan redistricting commission, Fox News Digital previously reported. California Republican lawmakers have vowed to fight it. Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser and Jasmine Baehr and The Associated Press contributed to this report.