California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s redistricting plan is facing another bout of legal pushback, as state Republicans filed an emergency petition asking the California Supreme Court to block a November special election on the proposal.
The redistricting measure, signed into law last week, would overhaul California’s congressional map to make five GOP-held districts more favorable to Democrats. The move is being framed by Newsom and state Democrats as a direct response to Texas Republicans redrawing their own maps — under pressure from President Trump — to create five extra GOP-leaning districts.
But opponents argue that California’s plan violates the state constitution and undermines an independent redistricting commission created by ballot initiative in the mid-2000s.
The 432-page petition, filed by the Dhillon Law Group and backed by Republican lawmakers, accuses Democrats of skipping a 30-day public review period for legislation, in addition to stripping voters and the independent citizens’ redistricting commission of their power. It also challenges the legality of redrawing maps mid-decade. And it argues the measure violates a rule requiring ballot questions in California to only be about a single subject, because it includes a provision that redraws the congressional map and a provision that calls on Congress to require every state to use a redistricting commission.
Republican state Sen. Tony Strickland is vowing to fight the plan in court.
“As long as I have breath in my body, I am going to fight every step of the way,” Strickland said. “Every loophole they do, every constitutional measure they break, we’re going to challenge them in court.”
A group of Republican lawmakers filed a similar emergency petition before the legislature passed the plan. The California Supreme Court already declined to intervene then, but now Republicans are asking the court to reconsider before ballots are finalized.
If approved by voters in November, the new map would be used for the next three election cycles and could help Democrats reclaim control of the U.S. House in 2026.
Newsom and other state Democrats insist the plan is still ultimately in voters’ hands, unlike in Texas, where Republicans redrew lines without a public vote. They argue it’s a necessary countermeasure to what they call a broader national strategy by Mr. Trump to tilt congressional maps in the GOP’s favor.
Republicans hold a razor-thin House majority, and could lose control of the chamber if Democrats flip just three seats in next year’s midterm elections — which typically favor the party that doesn’t control the White House.
