California Republicans sue again to block Newsom's redistricting plan

Lia Russell, The Sacramento Bee on Aug 25, 2025

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California Republicans are again asking the state Supreme Court to block California from redrawing its congressional boundaries, charging chief proponent Gov. Gavin Newsom and his legislative allies with violating the state Constitution, the same day the White House said it would also sue California.

Republican Sens. Tony Strickland and Suzette Martinez Valladares and Assemblymembers Kate Sanchez and Tri Ta filed an emergency petition Monday charging the Proposition 50 campaign with violating citizens’ rights to have an independent body redraw congressional districts. The group is being represented by the Dhillon Law Group, a firm founded by U.S. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, and has backing from the California Republican Party.

“I firmly believe that politicians shouldn’t pick their lines, that the citizens should have the opportunity to pick their representatives,” Strickland said at a press conference announcing the petition, which asks Secretary of State Shirley Weber to remove Prop. 50 from the Nov. 4 ballot.

The same day, President Donald Trump told reporters the U.S. Department of Justice would sue to block California from redistricting at the national level. “BRING IT,” Newsom said in response to his political antagonist.

Last week, Newsom and California Democrats passed a legislative package to ask voters to allow the Legislature to redraw congressional boundaries and eke out another five Democratic seats in the 2026 midterms via a constitutional amendment. The map would be in effect for the 2026, 2028 and 2030 elections before reverting that power back to the state Citizen Redistricting Committee.

The state Supreme Court previously denied Republicans’ last minute bid to block the Democratic-majority Legislature from moving forward. By Thursday Newsom and his legislative allies were celebrating the passage of the bills at the California Democratic Party headquarters, which effectively marked the start of the 75-day lead up to the special Nov. 4 election.

On Monday, Strickland said Newsom and the Legislature had also violated a rule requiring that the public have 30 days to review any proposed bills, which was the basis of his group’s previous failed argument.

He said the court ruled that lawmakers weren’t able to take that tact before the legislation was introduced, and so he and his group were trying that argument again after the legislation had already been passed.

Millions of dollars have already been poured in the race from both Newsom’s Prop. 50 campaign, and via an opposition campaign being led by former Republican Party chair Jessica Patterson, former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and mega donor Charles Munger.

A Prop. 50 spokesperson said in an email she was confident the state Supreme Court would side with the governor.

“Trump’s toadies already got destroyed once in court,” spokesperson Hannah Milgrom wrote. “Now, they are trying again — to protect Trump’s power grab and prevent the voters from having their say on Prop 50. They will lose.”

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