Obama's comments came as efforts in Texas, encouraged by President Trump, aim to strengthen GOP control ahead of next year's elections.

U.S.-NATO MEETING: U.S. and NATO military officials will meet today to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine as the White House works to arrange a summit between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“Thousands of Californians have spoken, and their message is simple: Stop rigging, gerrymandering and disenfranchising,” Bianco, the Riverside County sheriff, said. “Voters deserve to choose their leaders — not the other way around.”

Hurricane Erin may not be forecast to make landfall, but the sprawling Category 2 storm is still going to impact much of the East Coast as it tracks north this week. On Tuesday, North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein declared a state of emergency to prepare for the life-threatening rip currents and storm surge expected to affect the coastal region.

Multiple members of California Common Cause’s advisory board have resigned as the nonpartisan group, historically critical of partisan gerrymandering, tackles its conflicting response to the national redistricting battle.

Other Democratic lawmakers have joined a colleague in staying at the Texas Capitol rather than accept around-the-clock police escorts meant to prevent them from blocking a vote on a Republican plan for redrawing congressional districts.

The Texas State Capitol was cleared of visitors Tuesday evening and closed to the public after a social media threat, the Texas Department of Public Safety said.

California is a crucial battlefront in a coast-to-coast political civil war over congressional redistricting, a war that Republicans nationally appear better positioned to win.