() California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Friday the state will hold a special election in November on a ballot measure that would allow Democrats to redo the House district map.

Newsom hosted Texas Democratic lawmakers Friday as they broke quorum to prevent Republicans from advancing congressional maps that could favor the GOP in upcoming elections.

“We have till Aug. 22. With the leadership behind me, they will get this on the ballot. We’re calling for a special election that will be the first week of November,” Newsom said.

Newsom said they will “pick up five seats with the consent of the people. And that’s the difference between the approach we’re taking and the approach.”

This comes as Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, filed a lawsuit Friday looking to vacate the seats of 13 Democratic state lawmakers.

The event at the State Capitol featured Democratic leaders, including House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, Rep. Zoe Lofgren and state legislative leaders alongside the Texas Democrats who left their state to block redistricting efforts.

“We are talking about emergency measures to respond to what’s happening in Texas, and we will nullify what happens in Texas,” Newsom vowed.

Texas House Democrats departed their state in an attempt to deny Republicans the quorum needed to pass new congressional maps. The proposed maps could give the GOP five additional pickup opportunities ahead of the 2026 elections, according to Democratic officials.

Despite threats of arrest warrants, FBI intervention and a bomb threat against other lawmakers who fled to Illinois, the Democrats have vowed to continue their standoff against the mid-decade redistricting.

Paxton seeks to remove 13 Texas Democrats from their seats

Paxton filed lawsuits Friday targeting 13 Democratic state representatives who left Texas to break quorum, seeking court declarations that their seats are vacant and alleging illegal fundraising by groups supporting them.

Paxton filed a petition with the Texas Supreme Court asking justices to declare the lawmakers have abandoned their offices by failing to return after a deadline set by House Speaker Dustin Burrows.

“The rogue Democrat legislators who fled the state have abandoned their duties, leaving their seats vacant,” Paxton said in a statement, calling the lawmakers “cowards” who “deliberately sabotaged the constitutional process.”

The 13 lawmakers affected include Democratic state Reps. Ron Reynolds, Vikki Goodwin, Gina Hinojosa, James Talarico, Lulu Flores, Mihaela Plesa, Suleman Lalani, Chris Turner, Ana-Maria Ramos, Jessica Gonzalez, John Bucy III, Gene Wu and Christina Morales. 

Several of the impacted Democrats denounced the new lawsuit in separate statements. 

In a separate lawsuit, Paxton sued former U.S. Senate candidate Beto O’Rourke and his organization, Powered by People, alleging they operated an illegal fundraising scheme to support the absent Democrats’ expenses while misleading donors about how contributions would be used.

Paxton accused O’Rourke of providing “Beto Bribes” and requested a court order preventing further fundraising for the lawmakers. O’Rourke’s organization did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Texas redistricting war escalates across the country

The decision by Texas Democrats to flee the state has ratcheted up tensions and started a new phase in the redistricting war around the country. 

Democratic Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has vowed to protect lawmakers who traveled to his state from the threat of arrest from top Texas leaders.  

And while hosting several Texas Democrats in her state Monday, Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said she will explore different options available to redraw her state’s maps. 

Republicans are responding as well. In Florida, the state’s Republican House speaker announced this week that his chamber will take up the issue this fall through a select committee on congressional redistricting.

Second bomb threat reported at Illinois hotel housing Texas Democrats

A second bomb threat was reported at the Illinois hotel housing the Texas Democrats, local police reported Friday.

The St. Charles Police Department said in a press release that it responded to a report of a possible bomb threat at 8:32 a.m. CDT on Friday at the Q Center.

“The St. Charles Police Department, in coordination with the Kane County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad and the Explosive Detection K-9 Unit, conducted a thorough search of the area. No explosive device was found. The area has been secured by authorities, and all 70 hotel guests are safe,” the department said. 

“This morning’s secondary threat occurred two days after the initial bomb threat was reported to police by the Q-Center on Aug. 6,” the department continued. “In both instances, no explosive devices were found, and the designated areas were deemed safe. As a continued precaution, the St. Charles Police Department has increased patrols in the area since the initial report.”

Texas Democrats had to evacuate their hotel earlier this week due to another bomb threat, though no devices were found and those inside were unharmed.

Abbott orders arrest of Democrats who fled Texas

GOP Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday ordered the arrest of the Democrats.

“Texas House Democrats abandoned their duty to Texans,” Abbott said in a statement. “By fleeing the state, Texas House Democrats are holding hostage critical legislation to aid flood victims and advance property tax relief. There are consequences for dereliction of duty.”

In a separate statement, Abbott said he was also directing the Texas Rangers to investigate the Democrats over potential bribery in connection with donations they were allegedly receiving from donors to offset the $500 daily fines the lawmakers are facing.

partner The Hill contributed to this report.