California Republicans have taken their fight over new congressional districts to the state Supreme Court, seeking to halt a redistricting plan championed by Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative Democrats, reports KCRA. The GOP lawmakers argue that Democrats are pushing the changes too quickly, sidestepping rules that require a 30-day public review period for new legislation, reports the New York Times.
Democrats are rushing to pass related bills by Thursday to get the proposal in place for a special election on Nov. 4. Republicans have asked the state court to freeze the process until mid-September. "California's Constitution requires bills to be in print for 30 days, but that safeguard was ignored," tweeted GOP Assemblyman Tri Ta, per the Hill. "By bypassing this provision, Sacramento has effectively shut voters out of engaging in their own legislative process."
The legal challenge is the latest flashpoint in a broader, partisan tug-of-war over redistricting, a process traditionally triggered by census data once a decade. The stakes have risen nationwide since President Trump encouraged Texas Republicans to redraw districts in their favor, a move California Democrats are now countering with their own mid-decade effort. Their plan could help Democrats flip as many as five seats in the state.