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By Martha McHardy
US News Reporter
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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, claiming Democrats violated a rule that requires a 30-day waiting period before newly introduced legislation can be brought to a vote, unless three-fourths of lawmakers agree to waive it.
But in a brief order, the justices declined to halt the process, writing: "Petitioners have failed to meet their burden of establishing a basis for relief at this time under California Constitution article IV, section 8."
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The ruling clears the way for the California legislature to move forward as early as Thursday on a package establishing a special election in November for voters to decide on the new map.
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Why It Matters
The California Supreme Court's decision clears a major hurdle for Governor Newsom's effort to reshape the state's congressional map ahead of the 2026 midterms. If successful, Democrats could pick up several seats in one of the nation's bluest states—potentially offsetting Republican gains from aggressive redistricting in Texas.
Republicans hold only a slim majority in the House of Representatives, and they want to hold onto it, while Democrats are aiming to take back the House.
What To Know
Four GOP legislators—Senator Tony Strickland, Senator Suzette Martinez Valladares, Assemblyman Tri Ta, and Assemblywoman Kate Sanchez—petitioned the state Supreme Court to halt the effort until September 18, well past the deadline to prepare for a November 4 election. Their attorneys admitted the case was unprecedented but called Democrats' maneuver "comically absurd."
Newsom has positioned his move as a counter to the Republican-led redistricting in Texas, where Republicans have launched a mid-cycle redistricting push designed to add as many as five new GOP-friendly districts ahead of the 2026 midterms. Backed by Trump, Governor Greg Abbott convened a special legislative session in July to draft the new maps. Democrats in the state legislature staged a walkout to delay the process, but Republicans eventually enforced attendance to move the plan forward.
Meanwhile, California Democrats, led by Newsom, have mounted their own dramatic counteroffensive. In August, the governor introduced the "Election Rigging Response Act," which seeks to bypass the state's independent redistricting commission through a voter referendum.
If passed in a November 2025 special election, the plan would implement Democratic-crafted maps designed to flip up to five Republican-held seats. The maps would remain in effect until 2030, but only if other states proceed with partisan redistricting.
On Wednesday, the state Assembly and Senate appropriations committees advanced the redrawn maps after heated hearings where both parties clashed over the plan.
"I want to note for the record that we do not have all the fiscal information that we need to make this decision," Republican state Senator Kelly Seyarto said during the hearing. "And we're going to do it anyway."
Democrats, for their part, pointed the finger at President Trump. "This started because Donald Trump went to Texas and directed Texas to engage in mid-decade redistricting," Senator Scott Weiner of San Francisco told CBS.
What People Are Saying
In a joint statement, GOP lawmakers stressed the court did not explain its ruling and said it is "not the end of this fight."
"This means Governor Newsom and the Democrats' plan to gut the voter-created Citizens Redistricting Commission, silence public input, and stick taxpayers with a $200+ million bill will proceed," the statement reads.
"We will continue to challenge this unconstitutional power grab in the courts and at the ballot box. Californians deserve fair, transparent elections, not secret backroom deals to protect politicians," it continued.
Gavin Newsom told reporters Wednesday: "Look, what we're doing neuters, neutralizes what's happening in Texas. People have this chance with this ballot—November 4—is stand up to the rule of law, stand up for coequal branches of government, stand up to, yes, Donald Trump, but also stand up in the spirit that defines this moment to people being bullied and people being intimidated."
What Happens Next
If lawmakers finish the plan by August 22, California voters will decide on November 4 whether to approve maps that would apply in 2026, 2028 and 2030—contingent on Republican-led states redrawing their lines first. Since 2010, California's maps have been drawn by an independent citizen commission.
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