SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A new chapter in California's political battles unfolds as state Republicans filed a federal lawsuit on Wednesday aimed at blocking a recently approved U.S. House redistricting map.
The controversial map comes on the heels of Proposition 50, which California voters decisively approved, intended to assist the Democratic Party in gaining up to five congressional seats in the upcoming midterm elections. The lawsuit claims that the map was created with racial bias, favoring Hispanic voters, which the plaintiffs argue constitutes a violation of the 14th Amendment's equal protection clause and the 15th Amendment, which protects voting rights.
Representing the plaintiffs, including a state Republican lawmaker and 18 other voters, attorney Mike Columbo stated at a news conference, “The map is designed to favor one race of California voters over others.”
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, is being led by The Dhillon Law Group, founded by Harmeet Dhillon, who now serves as an assistant attorney general for civil rights at the U.S. Department of Justice.
California Governor Gavin Newsom's office, responding to the legal challenge, shared confidence on social media that the lawsuit would not succeed, suggesting the state's position on defending the new redistricting map.
As candidates prepare to collect voter signatures beginning December 19 to lower filing fees for the 2026 midterm elections, it remains uncertain whether the court will issue a temporary restraining order that could affect these processes. Columbo expressed hopes for a swift decision in the coming weeks amid a landscape of prior unsuccessful Republican lawsuits against Democratic electoral strategies in California.
