The Supreme Court released a short, unsigned order with no justices dissenting, denying the emergency request to block California’s redistricting plan.

SAN DIEGO — California’s new congressional map will remain in place for the midterm elections, after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected an emergency request by state Republicans and the Trump administration seeking to block California’s newly redrawn congressional map.

California voters approved Proposition 50 last November, which temporarily redrew the state’s congressional map to help Democrats win five additional U.S. House seats. The Supreme Court’s action comes just two months after it allowed Texas to move forward with its redistricting plan, which gives Republicans the advantage in five seats.

The Supreme Court released a short, unsigned order with no justices dissenting, denying the emergency request to block California’s redistricting plan. 

In a December decision on the Texas case, conservative Justice Samuel Alito wrote that both Texas and California appeared to have adopted these new congressional maps for political advantage, which the Supreme Court said could not serve as a basis for a federal lawsuit.

“Today’s Supreme Court decision really wasn’t a surprise to many people, especially because the Supreme Court had already ruled that the Texas maps could be used,” said CBS political analyst Gary Dietrich.

The Court’s decisions apply to the upcoming midterms, but uncertainty surrounds the future of these congressional maps beyond 2026. 

“They could be appealed and re-tried in a larger context for future election cycles down the road,” Dietrich told CBS 8.

Several states have launched redistricting efforts that could influence November midterm outcomes. 

“If you add them all up right now, you have a 9-seat new majority for Republican-leaning districts, 6 for Democrats, so that leaves a ‘net three’ in terms of Republican advantage,” said Dietrich.

Some political observers believe California and Texas’s newly redrawn congressional lines cancel each other out. However, Dietrich warned against assuming the outcome is certain. 

“That’s not guaranteed,” he said. “These districts, some of them are going to be competitive,” Dietrich added. 

One potentially competitive race could unfold in San Diego County, where California’s 48th Congressional District, currently held by Republican Darrell Issa, remains in play. 

“Darrell Issa has campaigned hard; he usually has resources at his disposal, and he might be one of the guys that survives,” said Dietrich.

Governor Gavin Newsom commented on the Supreme Court’s decision, stating that “Donald Trump said he was ‘entitled’ to five more congressional seats in Texas. He started this redistricting war. He lost, and he’ll lose again in November.”

Other states continue pursuing aggressive redistricting plans. Florida is attempting a redistricting plan that could yield three to five additional Republican-leaning seats. Virginia Democrats are working to redraw congressional lines that could net up to four additional Democrat-leaning seats, and Maryland Democrats are attempting to change their lines so all eight congressional districts would favor Democratic candidates.

The midterm elections take place in nine months.