Former Vice President Kamala Harris is standing firmly behind California Governor Gavin Newsom’s latest redistricting proposal, one that she says directly responds to the escalating threat of voter suppression in Republican-led states like Texas.
Speaking to a packed crowd at the Teamsters National Black Caucus Conference in Long Beach, Harris didn’t mince words about what she views as an assault on democratic processes. Her message: Republican officials in states like Texas “can’t win unless they cheat.”
Calling Out Texas
In her speech, Harris addressed recent political maneuvers in Texas, which have included gerrymandered districts and voter suppression laws. She shared that young organizers from across the country recently told her they were deeply worried about what’s happening in the Lone Star State.
“One of the things they talked about specifically that they were worried about was happening in Texas,” Harris said. “They know, people like the elected Republicans in Texas… have figured out that they can’t win if they don’t cheat.”
For Harris, that “cheating” comes in many forms: stripping Medicaid from working families, cutting education and SNAP benefits, and gutting safety net institutions like OSHA and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). These are not just policy choices, she argued, they’re deliberate strategies to dismantle protections for the working class and limit their political power.
Listen to Kamala Harris’ full speech at today’s TNBC conference👇pic.twitter.com/yS9smILDV9
— harris4potus (@kdh4potus) August 17, 2025
Supporting Newsom’s Bold Plan
Harris shifted focus to California, where Newsom has proposed a new voter-backed redistricting strategy that would proactively counterbalance national gerrymandering efforts. While she didn’t name the governor directly, her endorsement was unmistakable:
“I’m proud that right here in the state of California, there was just a decision made that we’re going to take it to the voters, take it to the streets, take it to the people,” she declared. “To fight for fairness and to not allow the people who want to cheat democracy win. It is time to fight fire with fire.”
Newsom’s plan, which would expand independent redistricting commissions and strengthen transparency around political maps, is seen by Democrats as a blueprint for protecting voting rights in a climate where those rights are increasingly under attack.
The Stakes for Democracy
Harris’s remarks underscore what’s at stake in the 2026 election cycle: not just control of Congress, but the integrity of the systems that determine how Americans are represented. She framed the current moment as a battle for democracy itself, driven by forces that would rather redraw lines than face voters head-on.
“We have created institutions in America knowing there would be unfairness and injustice,” she said. “They are trying to destroy those institutions… We cannot take these things for granted.”
A Rallying Cry for the Base
Harris, the first Black and South Asian vice president, has long been a vocal advocate for protecting the vote and uplifting marginalized communities. At the Teamsters event, her words were aimed at galvanizing union members, young leaders, and voters of color, many of whom are feeling disillusioned by the political process.
She reminded the audience that justice movements are sustained through struggle: “Life is long. In moments like this and in moments of struggle, the world and the circumstances reveal who the truly strong are, who the truly courageous are, who the truly committed are—and that is you.”
Looking Ahead
With national attention focused on the Biden-Harris administration’s ability to unify the party and drive voter turnout, Harris’s vocal support of Newsom’s redistricting effort signals a coordinated strategy to shore up democracy from the state level up.
