Obama's comments came as efforts in Texas, encouraged by President Trump, aim to strengthen GOP control ahead of next year's elections.

Former President Barack Obama is in favor of California’s redistricting plan. The former president threw his support behind the effort while the state legislature continues to advance bills to convene a special election in November, when voters would decide whether to implement congressional maps for the next three elections.

The former president suggested that Democrats opposing G.O.P. efforts in Texas and elsewhere should advance their own gerrymandering plans.

Texas Republicans are triumphant after a success in their efforts to redraw the state’s congressional maps, but California Democrats are set to make their move.

The former president said that what Texas Republicans are doing requires an equally aggressive response from Democrats.

Under normal circumstances, the former president would not back a Democratic plan for mid-decade redistricting. But these are not normal circumstances.

Obama reportedly said the California redistricting plan, which is being proposed in response to a Texas redistricting that could add five GOP seats in the U.S. House, would only be used if Texas Republicans follow through with the new congressional map.

They want to do this by passing a state constitutional amendment via a ballot initiative during the 2026 general election.