Is special election a ‘race to the bottom’ or noble and needed?

Re “I support redistricting because Democrats must fight for what’s right” (Aug. 24): Congresswoman Sara Jacobs’ support of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s redistricting plan is typical of a politician acting in the best interest of their political party at the expense of the common good. In 2010, California voters overwhelmingly passed Proposition 20, 62% to 38%, giving congressional redistricting authority to an independent 14-member citizens commission.

Then, when Donald Trump coaxed Texas Gov. Greg Abbott into a mid-decade redrawing of Texas’ congressional districts to give the GOP an opportunity to win more seats in the 2026 election, Gov. Newsom felt compelled to respond with his own gerry-rigged gamesmanship, to give the Dems additional seats, by nullifying the conscientious work of our state’s citizens commission.

Voters should reject this misplaced proposal, not only because two wrongs don’t make a right, but to also thwart the ongoing race to the bottom on the part of the two major political parties.

— Jim Redhead, Clairemont

Re “Don’t copy Trump bullying” (Aug. 21): No one would be happier than I to see Democrats assume House and Senate control in 2026. Texas Republicans’ highly irregular gerrymander of congressional districts is reprehensible.

However, we do not need to compound this atrocity. We have a system in California, hard won, of redistricting by a nonpartisan commission. We should not abandon that, even temporarily, for an imagined political gain, even when the stakes are high.

One of the most flagrant abuses of the current administration is its pushing the envelope of our established norms to illegal limits, as with its immigration and deportation policies. We must not try to alter an established law for a hoped-for political end. Select qualified candidates and fight the election fairly. Democrats can win by fair means, with hard work, good candidates, and a willingness to hear constituents and try to resolve the problems besetting our nation.

— Betsy Stevens, La Mesa

The U-T Editorial Board faults California’s Democrats for asking voters to overturn legislation that prevents gerrymandering. The board urges Californians to take the high road. But when this Texan-led drive to circumvent the democratic process leads us to an abyss, might we be fully justified to play by the same rules?

It might seem ironic to fend off a brazen attack on an accepted political process by employing that same political transgression. Nevertheless, the equitable thing to do is to take any legal action available to defend democratic principles. The Texan gerrymandering will deliberately alter the natural shape of congressional voting districts, to favor Republicans.

California is fully justified to suspend its rule for independently shaped voting districts in order to balance the politicized action in Texas. I urge all Californians to vote in favor of this suspension, not to support Democrats, but to preserve our democracy.

— Harvey Levine, Rancho Bernardo

Although there is a lot that can be said about the political shenanigans in Sacramento, the editorial seems to miss a crucial point. The redistricting is not just about California’s voters. It is about power in Washington. Trump will continue his bullying as long as Congress permits him to do so. It is true that in 2024 he won the popular vote. With his popularity plummeting, Republicans are pretty sure they are unlikely to keep their congressional advantage and have overtly demanded that Texas deliver the House seats that they would lose if the 2026 election were held today. California’s ability to counter that move could be pivotal. You don’t have to like state politics to support a second wrong with the potential to restore the rights of 2026 voters nationwide.

— Carla Scheidlinger, San Diego