You woke us up": California Gov. Gavin Newsom energized by Prop 50 redistricting win, thanks Texas

The Democrat celebrated on rival Gov. Greg Abbott's home turf Saturday and urged other blue states to challenge a GOP plan to keep control of the U.S. House.

HOUSTON — California Gov. Gavin Newsom's celebration of Proposition 50's passage reached Texas on Saturday, days after his state approved his strategy to counter Gov. Greg Abbott's redistricting plan to send more Texas Republicans to Congress.

Before Newsom could begin talking at a quick stop during a Houston rally, the group of about 800 Democrats took their chance to shout "thank you," and he said it back to them.

"You woke us up," Newsom said talking about how Democrats fought against redistricting. "You didn't just have our back here, you supported us in California too."

After Abbott put his name on a new congressional map in August that redrew lines to give Republicans in Texas more power in Washington D.C., because Trump pushed for it, Newsom came up with an idea to ask voters to balance out the GOP's gains in Texas by adding more Democratic seats in California.

California voters backed Proposition 50 on Tuesday, a plan Newsom created to challenge Texas' new congressional map. The ballot measure paved the way for Newsom to let the legislature approve the Golden State's redrawn congressional districts to create five more Democratic seats. Abbott skipped that step leaving it to the state's lawmakers to decide on a new map without voter approval.

The California ballot measure got approval from almost 64% of voters marking a significant victory for Newsom, who's eyeing a presidential run in 2028. Should the proposed maps go through as planned, Democrats will hold all of California's congressional seats. Right now, California has 43 Democratic House members and nine Republicans - the new maps would lock in 48 blue seats. Newsom went to Texas, the very state Prop 50 aims at, to mark this win.

Saturday's crowd joined in his celebration, including 18-year-old Ben Webb from Cypress, a northwest suburb of Houston.