California Republicans lose bid to pause Prop 50’s new district lines

LOS ANGELES (KESQ) - A three-judge panel in Los Angeles federal court today ruled against California Republicans in their bid to nullify the new congressional map California voters approved in November.

In their lawsuit, filed one day after California voters approved Proposition 50, Assemblyman David Tangipa, R-Fresno, the California Republican Party and a group of Republican voters -- joined by the U.S. Department of Justice -- urged judges to block the new district lines at least temporarily so California's original map would stay in effect for the 2026 midterm elections.   

Proposition 50 was passed after Republicans in Texas redrew their congressional map, a move California leaders said was designed to favor Republicans in the upcoming midterms.  

The suit, which names Gov. Gavin Newsom, state Attorney General Rob Bonta and California Secretary of State Shirley Weber as defendants, argues that the new Proposition 50 maps are unconstitutional because they improperly use voters' race as a factor in drawing districts and asked the court to block them from taking effect.   

The proposition's passage increases Democrats' chances of winning five additional U.S. House seats in the state next year and seizing control of the chamber.

In its 2-1 decision, the court found "that the evidence presented reflects that Proposition 50 was exactly what it was billed as: a political gerrymander designed to flip five Republican-held seats to the Democrats."  

The judges rejected plaintiffs' claims that the maps had been drawn to favor Latino voters over other voting groups.   

The ruling is expected to be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court by the California Republican Party and the Trump administration.   

Voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 50 in November, which supporters dubbed ``The Election Rigging Response Act.''   

Proposition 50 establishes new congressional district maps for the 2026 midterm elections that will also be used for the 2028 and 2030 elections. An analysis by the election news website Ballotpedia said it would shift five Republican-held congressional districts to Democrats.

Democrats already hold a 43-9 advantage in the state's House delegation.