Inside California Politics: Aug. 23, 2025

(INSIDE CALIFORNIA POLITICS) — Former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra announced his support for California’s redistricting ballot measure on this week’s edition of Inside California Politics. The candidate for California governor also elaborated on his plan to enact a single-payer healthcare system if elected in 2026.

Becerra sat down with host Nikki Laurenzo one day after state lawmakers approved new congressional maps in an effort to add five Democratic seats to the U.S. House. Governor Gavin Newsom claims its a transparent response President Donald Trump’s request to Texas lawmakers to add five new GOP House seats to the Lone Star State. Unlike in Texas, California voters will need to approve the new maps in a special election because an independent commission currently draws them.

Constitutional law professor Jessica Levinson joined the show to discuss the viable legal challenges facing the redistricting ballot measure. Levinson also weighed in on why ‘trigger language’ was dropped from the measure right before the final vote.