FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — The results of the highly anticipated special election, with Proposition 50 on the line, have Democrats feeling relieved and excited after preliminary results show it passed with 64% voting ‘yes’.
Congressional lines will shift, a change that Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom sought after Republicans acted first in Texas.
“I am confident as we move forward in 2026 in this county, the best is yet to come,” said Gov. Gavin Newsom.
UC Merced Political Science Professor Nathan Monroe says the special election felt unique in that only one proposition was listed in California.
He says the voting outcome sends a clear message.
“The Democrats here, I think, were trying out the argument, ‘look, we have sat by and played by the rules long enough. We have to take the gloves off and fight fire with fire,” said UC Merced Political Science Professor Nathan Monroe.
It’s a battle Republicans are not backing down from.
On Wednesday morning, the Dhillon Law Group, alongside leading plaintiff Assemblyman David Tangipa, held a press conference to announce a federal lawsuit challenging Proposition 50.
“Nothing was given to us to define why they are doing this. Nothing was given to us to make sure they were following the Constitution,” said Assemblyman David Tangipa.
Attorney Mike Columbo explained that the new district map violates the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments.
“These maps did additionally racially gerrymander and increased one races voting power over others, that is a problem,” he said.
In response, Rusty Hicks, Chair of the California Democratic Party, sent Action News this statement: “California Republicans want to ignore the overwhelming majority of California voters – all to bend the knee to Donald Trump. California Democrats look forward to upholding the will of voters, electing even more Democrats and retaking the House in 2026.”
Monroe says several steps must happen for the new maps to be ruled unconstitutional.
“That argument would have to come with some standard that has not previously been used that the court is willing to adopt and then find that this map violates that standard.”
The Dhillon Law Group stated that they would be releasing the analysis and data supporting their claim very soon.
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