Overview
- The Justice Department filed in California federal court and joined the state GOP’s lawsuit, seeking to bar use of the Proposition 50 districts in future elections.
- The complaint alleges unconstitutional racial gerrymandering, asserting lawmakers used race to favor Hispanic voters when drawing the new boundaries.
- California voters approved Prop 50 last week, replacing the independent commission’s map with a legislature-drawn plan projected to put several Republican-held seats in play.
- Control of the U.S. House is at stake in 2026, with Republicans currently holding a 219–214 edge, heightening the impact of any map changes.
- Gov. Gavin Newsom promoted the mid-decade redraw as a counter to Trump-backed GOP efforts in Texas, and the campaign drew tens of millions of dollars, with Barack Obama supporting it and Arnold Schwarzenegger opposing it.