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By Gabe Whisnant
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The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday cleared the way for California to use a new voter‑approved congressional map that favors Democrats in this year’s elections, turning aside a last‑minute challenge from state Republicans and the Trump administration.
The California map was adopted through a statewide ballot measure, rather than legislation. Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, who has signaled interest in a 2028 presidential bid, pledged to respond after Texas Republicans redrew their districts at President Donald Trump’s urging last year in an effort to gain five additional U.S. House seats.
The justices issued a brief unsigned order with no noted dissents.
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The decision allows California to move forward with districts that could flip as many as five Republican‑held seats, a potentially significant shift with control of the House at stake in the midterm elections.
“Donald Trump said he was ‘entitled’ to five more congressional seats in Texas," Newsom said in a statement. "He started this redistricting war. He lost, and he’ll lose again in November.”
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The ruling comes amid a broader escalating redistricting fight between Democratic‑ and Republican‑led states. The high court had previously permitted Texas to use a Republican‑friendly congressional map for the 2026 elections, even after a lower court concluded that the plan likely discriminated on the basis of race.
In a December statement tied to that case, conservative Justice Samuel Alito wrote that Texas and California appeared to have redrawn their maps for political advantage—a motive the court has said does not, by itself, violate federal law.
Republicans, backed by the Trump administration, argued that California’s map improperly relied on race. A three‑judge lower-court panel rejected the claim in a 2‑1 ruling, concluding that the districts were drawn within legal bounds.
Jon Fleishman, a former executive director of the California Republican Party, said Wednesday in a post on X that the decision means “this year’s elections will take place on the new lines shrinking the already very small Republican delegation from California."
Candidate filing for California’s congressional primaries begins February 9.
What Is Gerrymandering?
Gerrymandering is the practice of drawing legislative district boundaries in a way that gives one political party or political group an advantage over others. It typically occurs when those in power control the redistricting process and design districts to concentrate or dilute the voting strength of certain voters. Critics say gerrymandering weakens democratic representation by allowing elected officials to effectively choose their voters rather than the other way around.
What Is Redistricting?
Redistricting is the process of redrawing electoral district boundaries to account for population changes identified by the U.S. Census, which is conducted every 10 years. States are required to adjust congressional and legislative maps so districts contain roughly equal populations. While intended to ensure fair representation, the process often becomes politically contentious when lawmakers influence district lines.
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When Was California’s Redistricting Plan Approved?
California’s most recent redistricting plan was approved by voters on November 4, 2025, when they passed Proposition 50, a constitutional amendment to adopt new congressional district maps drawn by the state Legislature rather than the state’s independent commission.
Proposition 50 passed with about 64 percent support and will apply to the 2026, 2028 and 2030 U.S. House races.
California’s current congressional and legislative district maps were approved in 2021 by the state’s independent redistricting commission after the release of 2020 Census data. The commission, which was created by voters to limit partisan influence, finalized the maps following months of public hearings and legal review. The districts have been used in statewide elections since 2022. House elections before the independent California Citizens Redistricting Commission resumes mapmaking after the 2030 census.
This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.
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