California House map approved by court, boosts Democrats for 2026
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California can move forward with a new U.S. House map that will boost Democrats’ chances in the 2026 midterm elections, a federal court ruled Wednesday.
A three-judge panel in Los Angeles ruled 2-1 to reject requests from both state Republicans and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to block use of the map, giving Democrats a realistic chance of gaining as many as five House seats in the midterm elections.
In November, California voters passed a ballot initiative known as Proposition 50 that dramatically changed the state’s congressional districts. The pursuit of the new map was largely seen as an attempt to offset recent redistricting in Texas that resulted in more Republican-leaning districts.
“Republicans’ feeble attempt to silence voters has failed,” California Governor Gavin Newsom said in a statement. “California voters overwhelmingly supported Proposition 50 to respond to Trump’s fraud in Texas, and that is exactly what this court concluded.”
FEDERAL JUDGES Block Texas From Using Redrawn Congressional Map
California Gov. Gavin Newsom praised the federal court ruling that allowed the state to move forward with a new congressional map. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
The complaint challenged California’s efforts to redraw the state’s congressional map; Lawyers for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division argued that race was “used as a proxy” to justify creating districts that benefit Democrats.
But California Democrats argued that the map was legal because it was drawn for partisan advantage.
In 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that partisan gerrymandering is a political issue and not something federal courts can decide. On Wednesday, the California panel backed the state’s claim, saying there was insufficient evidence that the maps were drawn by race.
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California Governor Gavin Newsom speaks alongside his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, after the special election on Proposition 50, a measure that would temporarily redraw congressional districts, at the California Democratic Party Headquarters in Sacramento, California, on November 4, 2025. (REUTERS/Fred Greaves)
“After reviewing the evidence, we conclude that this was exactly what was thought to be: partisanship,” the justices wrote.
U.S. District Judge Kenneth Lee, appointed by President Donald Trump, said in dissent that at least one district was determined using race as a factor “to curry favor with Latino groups and voters.”
Still, Republicans are expected to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court.
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Former Vice President Kamala Harris attends the Yes on Proposition 50 rally at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Saturday, November 1, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
The panel’s decision represents a major victory for Democrats following the implementation of new congressional maps in many Republican-led states.
Last year, Missouri made progress on congressional redistricting that favored Republicans, and North Carolina’s Republican-controlled legislature signed off on a new map that could lead to an additional congressional victory for the GOP.
“Californians voted overwhelmingly in favor of Proposition 50. Today’s decision supports the will of the people. It also means that every challenge to Proposition 50 to date has failed,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement. he said. “I couldn’t be prouder of my team who successfully defended this ballot initiative in court on behalf of Governor Newsom and Secretary of State Weber. We remain confident in the legality of Proposition 50.”
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Household maps are usually redrawn every 10 years after the census, and this process rarely occurs in the middle of the decade. California relies on an independent commission to draw maps, while other states, including Texas, are letting lawmakers lead the effort.
Democrats need to pick up just a handful of seats to regain control of the House of Representatives in the midterm elections. Republicans currently hold a narrow majority with 218 seats to Democrats’ 213 seats.
Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser, Ashley Oliver and Associated Press contributed to this report.
