Court battle begins over California's new congressional map designed to favor Democrats

Source: ABC News/AP

December 15, 2025, 8:58 AM


LOS ANGELES -- The fight over California's new congressional map designed to help Democrats flip congressional House seats will go to court Monday as a panel of federal judges considers whether the district boundaries approved by voters last month can be used in elections.

The hearing in Los Angeles sets the stage for a high-stakes legal and political fight between the Trump administration and Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who’s been eyeing a 2028 presidential run. The lawsuit asks a three-judge panel to grant a temporary restraining order by Dec. 19 — the date candidates can take the first official steps to run in the 2026 election.

Voters approved California's new U.S. House map in November through Proposition 50. It's designed to help Democrats flip as many as five congressional House seats in the midterm elections next year. It was Newsom's response to a Republican-led effort in Texas backed by President Donald Trump. The redistricting showdown between the nation’s two most populous states has spread nationally, with efforts aiming to determine which party controls Congress for the second half of Trump’s term.

Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio have adopted new district lines that could provide a partisan advantage. Some plans are facing legal challenges, but the Supreme Court ruled earlier this month to allow Texas to use its new map for the 2026 election. The Justice Department has only sued California.

Read more: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/court-battle-begins-californias-new-congressional-map-designed-128413359