Trump administration sues to stop California from redistricting to give Democrats more House seats

By Devan Cole, CNN

(CNN) — The Trump administration moved Thursday to challenge California’s effort to redraw the state’s congressional maps ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, throwing the full weight of the Justice Department in the high-stakes battle over control the House of Representatives next year.

After voters in the Golden State approved a ballot measure last week that allows state Democratic lawmakers to replace congressional lines drawn by the state’s independent commission with new ones that make five Republican-held US House seats more favorable for Democrats, the California Republican Party and others raced to court to block the redistricting effort.

The administration’s move to join that lawsuit is a dramatic escalation in the legal challenge, which, if successful, could scramble Democrats’ plan to push back against a nationwide effort by Republicans, at the behest of President Donald Trump, to boost the party’s chance of holding on to their House majority through rare, mid-decade redistricting ploys across several states.

Lawyers for the Trump administration told the federal judge overseeing the case in the Central District of California on Thursday that days after the case was brought last week, the “federal interest” in the matter became clear given the constitutional issues and claims of race-based discrimination at stake in the challenge.

They argued that the redistricting plan was sold to voters as a purely partisan effort, when in fact “the focus was not partisanship, but race,” which they say would be impermissible under the US Constitution.

“Our Constitution does not tolerate this racial gerrymander,” the Justice Department lawyers wrote in court papers. “Because the Proposition 50 map does, the United States respectfully requests that this court enjoin defendants from using it in the 2026 election and future elections.”

“These losers lost at the ballot box and soon they will also lose in court,” said Brandon Richards, a spokesperson for Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Attorney General Pam Bondi, meanwhile, cast California’s plan as a “brazen power grab that tramples on civil rights and mocks the democratic process.”

“Governor Newsom’s attempt to entrench one-party rule and silence millions of Californians will not stand,” she added.

64% of voters backed Newsom plan

Democrats argued the measure, Proposition 50, was necessary to counter Texas’ new congressional map, which Republicans redrew in a bid to gain five seats at Trump’s urging.

While Texas Republicans were able to draw new lines with legislation, California Democrats needed voters to pass a constitutional amendment to temporarily override the state’s non-partisan independent redistricting commission.

Over 64% of voters approved the plan.

Democrats significantly outraised and outspent Republicans in the state. Newsom became the face of the measure, arguing that Democrats needed to “fight fire with fire” to prevent the president from skewing the 2026 midterm election map. Other key surrogates, including former President Barack Obama, joined the effort, which Democrats see as key to their chances of retaking the House next year.

It’s not usual for the federal government to get involved in election-related cases. During the Biden administration, the Justice Department had its hands in litigation over state efforts to purge voter rolls and certain restrictive voting measures enacted in GOP-led states.

The California case hasn’t developed much since it was brought last week. Newsom and the other stare officials named as defendants have yet to file responses to the allegations and the judge randomly assigned to the case has not scheduled any major court hearings. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has been allowed to join the case to defend the redistricting plan.

Trump has backed pro-GOP efforts

The administration’s decision to join the California lawsuit is noteworthy given Trump’s call for Republicans state lawmakers to redraw their maps ahead of next fall’s elections to help the very thin GOP majority in the House.

The Justice Department’s involvement in the California effort is not the first time this year that it has inserted itself into the redistricting fight.

In July, as attention was turning to Texas’ congressional maps, a top DOJ official sent a letter to Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton that raised “serious concerns” about the “legality” of four districts in the state.

The DOJ official, Harmeet Dhillon, urged the state to “rectify” the issues or risk legal action from the department. The following month, several of the districts flagged by Dhillon were impacted by the state’s redistricting plan.

CNN’s Arit John contributed to this report.

This story has been updated with additional details.

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