Federal judges allow California to use new US House map ahead of 2026 election
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- A federal three-judge panel on Wednesday allowed California to use a new voter-approved U.S. House map that is designed to boost Democrats in the 2026 midterms.
In a 2-1 ruling, a three-judge panel in Los Angeles denied requests from state Republicans and the U.S. Justice Department to block the map from being used in future elections. The complaint accused California of violating the Constitution by using race as a factor to favor Hispanic voters when drawing the new district lines.
The map, aimed at giving Democrats a shot at flipping as many as five House seats next year, was decisively approved by voters through Proposition 50 in November. The effort was pushed by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is eying a 2028 presidential run, to counter a similar effort in Texas backed by President Donald Trump to help Republicans win five House seats. California Republicans currently hold nine of the state's 52 congressional seats.
The ruling is a victory for Democrats in the state-by-state mid-decade redistricting battle that could help determine which party wins controls of the U.S. House in 2026. Following the tit-for-tat showdown between the nation's two most populous states, Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio have adopted new district lines that could provide a partisan advantage. The Justice Department has only sued California.
https://abc7.com/post/federal-judges-allow-california-use-new-us-house-map-ahead-2026-election/18403705/