The US Justice Department has launched a lawsuit against the state of California, challenging newly approved congressional maps that voters endorsed last week under Proposition 50. The federal government alleges that the redrawn districts violate constitutional protections by prioritizing racial demographics to secure political advantages for Democrats.
Proposition 50 establishes five new congressional districts seen as favorable to the Democratic Party, a move designed to offset Republican gains achieved through redistricting initiatives in Texas. Attorney General Pam Bondi condemned the measure as a “brazen” attempt to manipulate electoral boundaries, accusing Governor Gavin Newsom of orchestrating a partisan power grab.
Newsom’s office responded forcefully, saying critics were simply rejecting the will of California voters. “These losers lost at the ballot box and soon they will also lose in court,” a spokesperson said, emphasizing the high support Proposition 50 received statewide.
Bondi escalated her criticism, accusing Newsom of attempting “to entrench one-party rule and silence millions of Californians.” She argued that the governor should focus on public safety and rising political violence instead of “rigging his state for political gain.”
The Justice Department’s lawsuit, filed in federal court, claims that Governor Newsom and Secretary of State Shirley Weber approved congressional district boundaries that constitute unconstitutional racial gerrymandering. While partisan gerrymandering is legal in the United States, the Constitution prohibits using race as the primary factor when drawing electoral districts.
Federal prosecutors cited what they described as “substantial evidence” that the new map was crafted with Latino demographics as a guiding priority. Jesus A. Osete, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, said voters were presented with an “illegal” map that cannot be used in the 2026 election cycle. “Race cannot be used as a proxy to advance political interests,” he said.
The redistricting fight is part of a larger national battle over political control ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. President Donald Trump has pushed for aggressive redrawing of congressional boundaries in Republican-led states, prompting California Democrats to respond with their own efforts to counterbalance those changes.
State Attorney General Rob Bonta defended both Proposition 50 and Governor Newsom, noting that similar challenges had already been dismissed. “Californians spoke loud and clear,” he said. “They are sick and tired of Trump’s lawlessness, his lies, and his inability to make life more affordable. Their voices must be honored.”
The California Republican Party and several allied groups filed a separate lawsuit last week challenging the measure. Bonta accused the Justice Department of attempting to intervene in that case, signaling a prolonged legal and political confrontation over the state’s congressional future.
