The US Justice Department has filed a sweeping lawsuit against California, arguing that the state’s newly approved congressional boundaries were drawn using unconstitutional racial gerrymandering intended to boost Democratic power. The maps, authorised by voters through Proposition 50 in last week’s statewide election, would create five additional Democratic-leaning districts and reshape the state’s political landscape ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Federal prosecutors contend that the redistricting plan, championed by Governor Gavin Newsom, was crafted with race as the predominant factor, an approach that violates the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. While gerrymandering for partisan benefit is legal in the United States, using racial demographics as a foundation for drawing district lines is not.
Attorney General Pam Bondi, leading the lawsuit on behalf of the federal government, accused Newsom of orchestrating a “brazen and calculated” attempt to cement long-term Democratic control of California’s congressional delegation. She argued that the new boundaries amounted to a deliberate effort to silence millions of voters by reshaping districts around Latino demographic concentrations.
Newsom’s office forcefully rejected the allegations. “These losers lost at the ballot box and soon they will also lose in court,” a spokesperson said, emphasizing that Proposition 50 passed with strong voter support. Newsom has maintained that the state acted only to counter Republican redistricting measures in Texas and other conservative-led states.
The Justice Department’s complaint, filed in a federal court in California, alleges that state lawmakers and officials used racial data as a proxy to achieve partisan objectives. According to Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Jesus A. Osete, California “sold voters an illegal, racially gerrymandered map” under the guise of balancing national political dynamics. He emphasised that the Constitution bars any districting plan in which race is the primary consideration.
Proposition 50 emerged during a period of intensified national redistricting battles. Former President Donald Trump has encouraged Republican-led states to redraw congressional boundaries to secure advantages for his party ahead of the 2026 elections. Newsom responded by urging California to “fight fire with fire,” launching a campaign to set aside the state’s independent redistricting maps, an unprecedented move in California politics.
Supporters of Proposition 50 argued that California had no choice but to counter partisan maps elsewhere to prevent Republicans from gaining a decisive advantage in the House of Representatives. Critics, however, accused the state of adopting the same tactics it condemned.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta defended the measure and the governor’s actions, noting that multiple lawsuits had already challenged Proposition 50 and none had succeeded. “Californians spoke loud and clear,” Bonta said. “They are sick and tired of Trump’s lawlessness, of his lies, and of his inability to make life more affordable for all Americans. Their voices must be honored.”
The California Republican Party and several conservative groups filed their own lawsuit last week seeking to overturn Proposition 50. Bonta accused the federal government of “attempting to intervene” in that ongoing legal fight by launching its own case.
The Justice Department’s lawsuit adds substantial weight to the growing national dispute over redistricting and raises the stakes for both political parties as they jockey for control of Congress. If the court blocks Proposition 50, Democrats could lose their expected advantage in several key districts, potentially reshaping the electoral map for years to come.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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