California Governor Gavin Newsom has vowed to redraw congressional district maps in retaliation to Texas seeking to redistrict its maps that are expected to net Republicans an additional five seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. File Photo by Jonathan Alcorn/UPI | License Photo
The California Supreme Court on Wednesday turned aside a Republican bid to block a redistricting measure from appearing on November’s ballot, the second time in a week justices have denied GOP efforts to prevent new congressional maps from being drawn in the state.
Four Republican assemblymembers and four voters in the state filed their petition on Monday, arguing that not only is the Democrat “scheme” unconstitutional but so is the measure, which presents voters with two separate propositional questions, not one.
“Allowing this unconstitutional measure onto the ballot would impose needless costs and uncertainty on both election officials and the public,” the petitioners said in their filing, which requested that a response be made by Sept. 8.
Within 48 hours of the filing, the state’s high court rejected the ask.
“The petition for write of mandate and application for stay are denied,” the Supreme Court said on the docket.
The plaintiffs — Sens. Suzette Martinez Valladres and Tony Strickland along with Assemblymembers Tri Ta and Kathryn Sanchez — accused the Supreme Court of abdicating its responsibility by ruling against them.
“We are watching in real time the destruction of law-and-order, and of our republic at the hands of a democratic governor, democratic super-majority legislatures and Supreme Court,” they said in a statement to KCRA. “This is likely only a sad preview of what is to come if Prop 50 passes. We will continue to fight on behalf of Californians seeking an honest and accountable government.”
Last Wednesday, Aug. 21, the California Supreme Court denied a petition filed by the same four state lawmakers against legislation filed by Gov. Gavin Newsom to initiate the redistricting process, bills the Republicans argued were unconstitutional.
The state’s Supreme Court similarly turned that petition aside within two days.
Newsom signed the legislation, known as the Election Rigging Response package of three bills, on Thursday after it had passed both the state’s Assembly and Senate. The package allows California to adopt new congressional maps, which must first be voted don by the public on Nov. 4.
The ballot measure, Proposition 50, will ask voters to approve replacing the current congressional district map and to support an independent redistricting commission nationwide.
The move by California is aimed at neutralizing GOP-gained seats from redistricting in Texas.
Redistricting occurs once a decade following the publication of census data, which is scheduled for 2030. Texas, at the behest of President Donald Trump, has recently adopted new maps that are expected to net the GOP five additional seats in the U.S. House of Representatives in next year’s midterm elections.
Republicans hold a slim 219-212 majority in the House.
Democrats have responded in anger, accusing the Texas Republicans of perpetrating a power grab for Trump to ensure he has a better chance of holding on to the House while simultaneously diluting the voting power of Black and other minority voters in the Lone Star State.
Newsom has been at the forefront of criticism against Texas and Trump, and initiated his state’s redistricting push to gain five additional Democratic seats to nullify those GOP seats expected to be gained in Texas.
Something of a redistricting arms race has been ignited by this, with several states led by each party now considering redistricting.
