California Democrats are poised to pass a contentious redistricting effort on Thursday in the latest escalation to a national back and forth that could prove critical in which party is able to win the U.S. House in next year's midterm elections.

The national redistricting battle enters its next phase Thursday as California Democrats are scheduled to pass a new congressional map that creates five winnable seats for their party, a direct counter to the Texas House’s approval of a new map to create more conservative-leaning seats in that state.

Former President Barack Obama waded in to support California Democrats tit-for-tat efforts to more extremely gerrymander the states congressional lines "as a responsible approach" to counter Texas efforts at redrawing its own maps.

Former President Barack Obama is in favor of California’s redistricting plan. The former president threw his support behind the effort while the state legislature continues to advance bills to convene a special election in November, when voters would decide whether to implement congressional maps for the next three elections.

California state Democrats are pushing new redistricting efforts as a new Trump-backed congressional map makes its way through the Texas legislature.

The California Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected a bid by Republican legislators to block Governor Gavin Newsom's plan to redraw the state's congressional map. GOP lawmakers had asked the court to intervene,

Trump administration live updates and latest news as Zelenskyy seeks security guarantees and California plans to vote on a new congressional redistricting plan.