Thousands are going to converge in 34 states on Saturday for a mass day of protests against Republican redistricting plans. The campaign, labelled "Fight the Trump Takeover", will be based in Austin, Texas, but extend to hundreds of towns and cities across the country.
Protest organizers claim the demonstrations are aimed at a proposed mid-decade Texas redistricting plan said to be pushed by former president Donald Trump, which could bring five new Republican seats to Congress. Texas Democrats already put on dramatic resistance when they fled the statehouse to deny quorum and delay a vote.
"This isn't about Texas politics," said Drucilla Tigner, the executive director of Texas For All. "This is about the future of American democracy itself."
The standoff has now spread beyond Texas. California Gov. Gavin Newsom made the announcement Thursday that Democrats in his state are getting ready to present their own redistricting plan to counteract the Republican push. His plan would gain five Democratic seats but only if Texas and other red states proceed with their maps.
Texas Democrats, who fled the state for nearly two weeks, have hinted they will return only if Republicans end their special legislative session and California advances its new proposal.
“The incredible support we’re seeing nationwide proves this fight is bigger than Texas,” said congressman Gene Wu, chair of the Texas House Democrats. “We are defending the country from a Trump takeover.”
Organizers of the protests led by Indivisible, MoveOn, and the Democratic National Committee have been mobilizing for months. They charge Trump with attempting to gerrymander congressional maps to entrench Republican dominance after his "budget betrayal," as they term the stripping of healthcare and food assistance from millions of Americans.
The Saturday protests come after a string of high-profile protest days against Trump's administration. In April, "Hands Off" rallies took place at over 1,000 locations. In June, as Trump's Washington military parade took place, millions participated in "No Kings" protests at 2,000 locations around the country. Labor rights, immigration policies, and voting limits have also been protested against.
This round, organizers indicate, is not only about district borders but about demonstrating that resistance to Trump's reach is deep in all states.
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Already, momentum is building for another large-scale protest scheduled for Labor Day, September 1. Activists indicate that the purpose is to continue pressuring lawmakers while energizing voters ahead of midterm fights.
"Trump's plan is obvious," DNC chair Ken Martin said. "Change the rules mid-game so he can escape accountability. But Americans are not going to remain quiet."
For the moment, everyone is watching Austin, where thousands are planning to walk, and California, where Democrats consider their counterstrategy. The battle over maps has evolved into something greater: a confrontation about who gets to determine the course of America's future.
