The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected a request by California Republicans to block the state’s newly redrawn congressional map, allowing California to move forward with the Democrat-backed plan ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The map, enacted through Proposition 50 and approved by voters in November, could help Democrats flip as many as five House seats currently held by Republicans.
The new map was challenged in court by the California Republican Party and the U.S. Department of Justice. They argued that the redistricting effort was racially motivated and designed to give more voting power to Latino voters. However, a federal court found no evidence of unlawful racial gerrymandering, concluding the map was a “political gerrymander designed to flip five Republican-held seats to the Democrats,” as stated by U.S. District Judge Josephine L. Staton.
The Supreme Court’s order comes after it also allowed Texas to implement a new, GOP-friendly map last month. In its unsigned order, the court noted that California’s map was adopted as a direct response to Texas’ changes, citing partisan advantage as the main motivation behind both states’ actions. Justice Samuel Alito, joined by Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch, wrote in a concurring opinion that “the impetus for the adoption of the Texas map (like the map subsequently adopted in California) was partisan advantage pure and simple.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom and Democratic leaders argued that Proposition 50 was necessary to counteract Republican-led redistricting efforts in Texas, Missouri, and North Carolina, which President Donald Trump encouraged last year. Newsom said the move was needed to “fight fire with fire” and give Democrats a better chance in the upcoming elections .
While Republicans have criticized the new map as unfair, the court’s majority found that the voters themselves had the final say, with 64 percent approving the measure in the November special election.
With the Supreme Court declining to halt the map, California will proceed with the new districts for the 2026 midterms. Candidates must file by March 6, and the state primary is set for June 2. The outcome of these changes could impact the balance of power in the U.S. House of Representatives, where Republicans currently hold a narrow majority. Republicans may still pursue further appeals, but the Supreme Court is not required to revisit the case before the election.
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