Overview
- A three-judge federal panel in Los Angeles has taken under advisement a request for a preliminary injunction that would halt California’s voter-approved Proposition 50 congressional map.
- Plaintiffs, including the California Republican Party and the U.S. Department of Justice, argue the lines were driven by race to advantage Hispanic voters in areas such as the 13th and 9th districts.
- Defenders of the map acknowledge a partisan tilt but deny race predominated, with Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Rosenberg telling the court there is no direct evidence of racial gerrymandering.
- Judges pressed challengers on their burden to prove racial intent and questioned reliance on map-drawer Paul Mitchell’s public statements after he declined to testify and asserted privilege repeatedly.
- The ruling could affect control of up to five House seats in 2026, and lead plaintiff Assemblymember David Tangipa predicts the case could ultimately reach the U.S. Supreme Court.