California GOP Fights Back Against Newsom
California Republicans are going on the offensive against Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D) latest power grab, filing a major lawsuit to stop Democrats from rewriting congressional maps in the Golden State.
The GOP petition, filed Monday with the California Supreme Court, seeks to block Proposition 50, a ballot measure Democrats rushed through the Legislature that would let them bypass the state’s voter-approved redistricting commission.
GOP: “Newsom Broke the Rules”
At a press conference, attorney Mike Columbo of Dhillon Law Group didn’t mince words:
“They broke the rules in multiple ways. First, they forced two unrelated issues into one ballot measure, creating an illegal take-it-or-leave-it scheme. Second, the Constitution says redistricting belongs to independent citizen commissions—not partisan politicians hungry for power.”
Republicans argue Democrats are trying to undo what California voters clearly demanded in 2008 and 2010: an independent redistricting process free from political manipulation.
Trump Promises Legal Action
President Donald Trump slammed Newsom’s maneuver and vowed to join the fight:
“I think we’re going to be very successful in it.”
With the GOP’s narrow 219–212 House majority, even a handful of seats could decide who controls Congress in 2026. Democrats admit they want five new blue seats to cancel out five new GOP seats from Texas—effectively neutralizing Republican momentum.
California Republicans Push Back
Assembly members Kate Sanchez and Tri Ta, along with State Senators Suzette Martinez Valladares and Tony Strickland, are leading the petition. California Republican Party Chair Corrin Rankin said the fight is about protecting democracy itself:
“We want to preserve the Constitution and preserve our right to choose who represents us.”
What’s Really at Stake
The Democrat-backed plan would trigger a costly November 4th special election, all at taxpayer expense. Meanwhile, Republican incumbents like Reps. Kevin Kiley, Doug LaMalfa, Darrell Issa, Ken Calvert, and David Valadao could see their districts gutted by Democrat-drawn maps.
For many Californians, this battle isn’t just about congressional lines—it’s about whether voters or politicians control the future of America’s largest state.
