The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to block California’s new congressional map, clearing the way for the districts approved under Proposition 50 to be used in the November 2026 midterm elections.
In a brief order, the U.S. Supreme Court denied an emergency request for an injunction pending appeal in Tangipa v. Newsom, leaving the new lines in place while the broader litigation continues. The order was issued without a signed opinion, a common practice on the court’s emergency docket.
California Governor Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta praised the US Supreme Court’s decision as a “political and legal victory” after the challenge to the new congressional map in the state was filed by California Republicans and the Trump administration’s Justice Department, the California Governor’s Office said.
“Donald Trump said he was ‘entitled’ to five more Congressional seats in Texas. He started this redistricting war. He lost, and he’ll lose again in November.”
— Governor Gavin Newsom
“While the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court is a positive one not only for Californians but also for our democracy as a whole, let’s not forget how we got here. President Trump called Governor Abbott and said Republicans are entitled to five more congressional seats. Texas Republicans fell in line behind President Trump. In direct response and for partisan reasons, Governor Gavin Newsom and our Legislature placed Proposition 50 on the ballot and California voters overwhelmingly supported it. With this decision, we have successfully defended this important ballot initiative seven times on behalf of Governor Newsom and Secretary of State Weber. We are always ready to do so again.”
The California redistricting battle began with Proposition 50, a ballot measure voters approved to temporarily shift congressional redistricting responsibilities from the state’s independent commission and use a legislatively backed plan through 2026, before a new post-2030 Census plan is adopted, the California Legislative Analyst’s Office said.
The lawsuit was filed by Republican voters and involved the federal government as a plaintiff, accusing unconstitutional racial gerrymandering. A federal panel of three judges out of the Central District of California declined a request to stop the map from being implemented last month, saying the evidence showed mostly partisan motivations and not racial targeting, the U.S. District Court order said.
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