The California Republican Party is asking a federal court to stop California’s new Congressional maps from taking effect. The party and their attorneys sued California Secretary of State Shirley Weber and Gov. Gavin Newsom a day after voters approved the Democratic-drawn maps in a measure known as Proposition 50. The maps are in effect for the next three elections. Republicans argue the new maps violate the Voting Rights Act by favoring Latino and Hispanic voters. Proposition 50 tossed the state’s U.S. House District maps drawn by the state’s citizen-led independent redistricting commission and replaced it with new maps that were quickly drawn by Democrats and their consultants. The maps attempt to remove up to five Republicans from California’s representation in Congress. Mike Columbo, an attorney who filed the lawsuit, pointed to various statements made by map drawer Paul Mitchell and Democratic legislative leaders in California, who said the maps give Latinos more voting power that other groups. The party Wednesday filed in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.| RELATED | Read the lawsuit here. At a Wednesday news conference, Assemblymember David Tangipa, attorneys with the Dhillon Law Group and California GOP Chairwoman Corrin Rankin formally announced the lawsuit. They are specifically asking for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to prevent Prop 50’s maps from going into effect.Watch the full news conference in the video player belowThe group predicts the battle against the new maps will be a weeks-long process, also anticipating the losing party to file an appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court. They’re hoping the courts will decide fairly quickly, within the next six weeks, so that Republican candidates can plan for the 2026 election. Tangipa, a Polynesian elected official, called California’s diversity “beautiful” and argued the passage of Prop 50 will diminish “the voices of other groups.””I’m appalled by what has happened,” Tangipa said. “This whole process was a sham.”The Dhillon Law Group, which is spearheading the litigation on behalf of the California GOP, stated that there is a multi-part process that must be fulfilled before redrawing districts, citing the 1986 Supreme Court case Thornburg v. Gingles. That case established a three-pronged test, citing the Voting Rights Act of 1965, that requires proof of voter dilution of minority groups when redistricting.McGeorge School of Law professor Chris Micheli joined KCRA 3 on Wednesday to explain how that case related to the lawsuit.”Essentially, what their argument is, is that by favoring Latino-based districts, that is discriminatory and violates the federal Voting Rights Act. They also claim that it violates the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, which provides equal protection,” Micheli said. “The governor and Democrats will challenge that.” Asked for a comment on the lawsuit, a spokesperson for Newsom’s office said it hadn’t reviewed it yet, but said in part, “Good luck, losers.”Dhillon Law Group claims that the California Legislature never received an analysis proving racism in the current districts. Attorneys under the firm pointed to comments made by the drawers of the new maps that stated the changes will “increase power of Latino voters.” Republicans have tried a few times to get courts to intervene. In state court, they were unsuccessful. In August, California’s highest court rejected an emergency petition by the state GOP and Dhillon Law Group to block Tuesday’s election altogether.See live results here.The Nov. 4 special election also drew the ire of President Donald Trump and his administration, who’ve hinted that an executive order is coming regarding California’s mail-in-ballot system, alleging that voter fraud impacted the election.State leaders, including Newsom, reject the claim. Dhillon Law Group was founded by President Trump’s Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division, Harmeet Dhillon. While her firm is involved, it was not clear Tuesday if the Trump administration would formally join the lawsuit. Democratic Rep. Ami Bera and Republican Rep. Kevin Kiley both told KCRA 3 they didn’t think the lawsuit would have a major impact on the state’s new maps. Prop 50’s proponents said the measure was a direct response to Texas, which redrew its congressional lines to favor five more Republican seats at the request of the president.Trump’s urging for more federal GOP lawmakers came ahead of the midterm elections, which is usually when the president’s political party may lose seats because of dissatisfied voters, possibly even losing decisive majority power.| RELATED READ | Democratic Rep. Ami Bera announces run for California District 3 minutes after Prop 50 passesCalifornia’s Prop 50 election was one of multiple elections across the country. After a resounding defeat for Democrats in the 2024 election, the Democratic Party saw multiple wins on Nov. 4.Those include the New York City mayoral race, where NBC projected Democrat Zohran Mamdani defeated independent Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa. In New Jersey, Democrat Mikie Sherrill was projected to win the race to become the state’s next governor, defeating Trump-backed Republican nominee Jack Ciattarelli.Virginia’s gubernatorial race concluded with former U.S. Rep. and Democratic candidate Abigail Spanberger projected to defeat Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears. Regardless of how this race turned out, history was set to be made with Virginians electing their first-ever female governor.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

The California Republican Party is asking a federal court to stop California’s new Congressional maps from taking effect.

The party and their attorneys sued California Secretary of State Shirley Weber and Gov. Gavin Newsom a day after voters approved the Democratic-drawn maps in a measure known as Proposition 50. The maps are in effect for the next three elections. Republicans argue the new maps violate the Voting Rights Act by favoring Latino and Hispanic voters.

Proposition 50 tossed the state’s U.S. House District maps drawn by the state’s citizen-led independent redistricting commission and replaced it with new maps that were quickly drawn by Democrats and their consultants. The maps attempt to remove up to five Republicans from California’s representation in Congress.

Mike Columbo, an attorney who filed the lawsuit, pointed to various statements made by map drawer Paul Mitchell and Democratic legislative leaders in California, who said the maps give Latinos more voting power that other groups.

The party Wednesday filed in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

| RELATED | Read the lawsuit here.

At a Wednesday news conference, Assemblymember David Tangipa, attorneys with the Dhillon Law Group and California GOP Chairwoman Corrin Rankin formally announced the lawsuit. They are specifically asking for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to prevent Prop 50’s maps from going into effect.

Watch the full news conference in the video player below

The group predicts the battle against the new maps will be a weeks-long process, also anticipating the losing party to file an appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court. They’re hoping the courts will decide fairly quickly, within the next six weeks, so that Republican candidates can plan for the 2026 election.

Tangipa, a Polynesian elected official, called California’s diversity “beautiful” and argued the passage of Prop 50 will diminish “the voices of other groups.”

“I’m appalled by what has happened,” Tangipa said. “This whole process was a sham.”

The Dhillon Law Group, which is spearheading the litigation on behalf of the California GOP, stated that there is a multi-part process that must be fulfilled before redrawing districts, citing the 1986 Supreme Court case Thornburg v. Gingles. That case established a three-pronged test, citing the Voting Rights Act of 1965, that requires proof of voter dilution of minority groups when redistricting.

McGeorge School of Law professor Chris Micheli joined KCRA 3 on Wednesday to explain how that case related to the lawsuit.

“Essentially, what their argument is, is that by favoring Latino-based districts, that is discriminatory and violates the federal Voting Rights Act. They also claim that it violates the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, which provides equal protection,” Micheli said. “The governor and Democrats will challenge that.”

Asked for a comment on the lawsuit, a spokesperson for Newsom’s office said it hadn’t reviewed it yet, but said in part, “Good luck, losers.”

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You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

NEW: California Republican Party files federal lawsuit against Prop 50, claiming state’s new maps favor one race.

Attorneys point to comments by map drawer Paul Mitchell and CALeg leaders that the changes “increase power of Latino voters”https://t.co/0GxcCDyclY

— Ashley Zavala (@ZavalaA) November 5, 2025

Dhillon Law Group claims that the California Legislature never received an analysis proving racism in the current districts. Attorneys under the firm pointed to comments made by the drawers of the new maps that stated the changes will “increase power of Latino voters.”

Republicans have tried a few times to get courts to intervene. In state court, they were unsuccessful.

In August, California’s highest court rejected an emergency petition by the state GOP and Dhillon Law Group to block Tuesday’s election altogether.

See live results here.

The Nov. 4 special election also drew the ire of President Donald Trump and his administration, who’ve hinted that an executive order is coming regarding California’s mail-in-ballot system, alleging that voter fraud impacted the election.

State leaders, including Newsom, reject the claim.

Dhillon Law Group was founded by President Trump’s Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division, Harmeet Dhillon. While her firm is involved, it was not clear Tuesday if the Trump administration would formally join the lawsuit.

Democratic Rep. Ami Bera and Republican Rep. Kevin Kiley both told KCRA 3 they didn’t think the lawsuit would have a major impact on the state’s new maps.

Prop 50’s proponents said the measure was a direct response to Texas, which redrew its congressional lines to favor five more Republican seats at the request of the president.

Trump’s urging for more federal GOP lawmakers came ahead of the midterm elections, which is usually when the president’s political party may lose seats because of dissatisfied voters, possibly even losing decisive majority power.

| RELATED READ | Democratic Rep. Ami Bera announces run for California District 3 minutes after Prop 50 passes

California’s Prop 50 election was one of multiple elections across the country. After a resounding defeat for Democrats in the 2024 election, the Democratic Party saw multiple wins on Nov. 4.

Those include the New York City mayoral race, where NBC projected Democrat Zohran Mamdani defeated independent Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa. In New Jersey, Democrat Mikie Sherrill was projected to win the race to become the state’s next governor, defeating Trump-backed Republican nominee Jack Ciattarelli.

Virginia’s gubernatorial race concluded with former U.S. Rep. and Democratic candidate Abigail Spanberger projected to defeat Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears. Regardless of how this race turned out, history was set to be made with Virginians electing their first-ever female governor.

See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel