'Can things get any worse in politics?' Kasich reacts to TX redistricting battle

Redistricting Plans and Political Strategies - Texas Senate Redistricting Committee approved House Bill 4, expected to pass in the full Senate and head to the governor for signature [1] - Texas Republicans openly admit the redistricting goal is to improve Republican political performance, permissible by the US Supreme Court [1] - California Democrats are countering Texas's plan with their redistricting plan, potentially adding five more Democrats to the US House [1] - Former President Barack Obama supports California's retaliatory redistricting plan as a responsible approach [1] Legal and Procedural Challenges - California's Supreme Court rejected a petition by Republican legislators to halt Governor Gavin Newsome's redistricting plan [1] - California Democrats need a two-thirds majority in the legislature to pass the map, followed by a special election for voter approval [1] - Republicans in California, including former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, are expected to fight the redistricting plan [1] Concerns and Criticisms - Texas's redistricting plan faces criticism for cutting school districts in half and drawing downtown Austin into a rural district 3 and 1/2 hours away [1] - Concerns exist about the potential elimination of minority seats during redistricting in both Texas and California [3][4] - The process is described as "rotten politics" and "raw power," with both parties engaging in tit-for-tat tactics [3]