WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Courtroom on Wednesday allowed California to make use of a brand new voter-approved congressional map that’s favorable to Democrats on this yr’s elections, rejecting a last-ditch plea from state Republicans and the Trump administration.
No justices dissented from the transient order denying the attraction with out clarification, as is frequent on the court docket’s emergency docket.
The justices had beforehand allowed Texas’ Republican-friendly map for use in 2026, regardless of a lower-court ruling that it seemingly discriminates on the premise of race.
Conservative Justice Samuel Alito wrote in December that it appeared each states had adopted new maps for political benefit, which the excessive court docket has beforehand dominated can’t be a foundation for a federal lawsuit.
Republicans, joined by the Trump administration, claimed the California map improperly relied on race, as nicely. However a decrease court docket disagreed by a 2-1 vote. The Justice Division didn’t instantly reply to a message in search of remark.
The justices’ unsigned order retains in place districts which might be designed to flip as much as 5 seats now held by Republicans, a part of a tit-for-tat nationwide redistricting battle spurred by President Donald Trump, with management of Congress on the road in midterm elections.
Final yr, at Trump’s behest, Texas Republicans redid the state’s congressional districts with a watch on gaining 5 seats.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat who’s eying a 2028 presidential run, vowed to reply in form, although he needed to win over voters, not simply lawmakers, to take action.
Newsom shortly posted the choice on social media, writing in an celebratory all-caps message on X that the court docket had allowed the maps to face for the midterms.
Submitting for congressional primaries in California begins on Monday.
Related Press author Lindsay Whitehurst contributed to this story.