DOJ trades barbs with Newsom over latest Texas redistricting ruling
the article discusses a public dispute between California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office and the Department of Justice following a Supreme Court ruling favorable to Texas Republicans in a redistricting case. The Supreme Court blocked a lower court’s decision that had invalidated Texas’ new congressional map for the 2026 elections, seen as favorable to Republicans. Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi praised the ruling, arguing federal courts should not interfere with state-led partisan redistricting.
In response, Newsom’s press office challenged Bondi, questioning if the DOJ would drop its ongoing lawsuit against California’s own redistricting plans.The DOJ firmly rejected this, pledging to continue opposing California’s redistricting efforts, which they label as “race-based gerrymandering.” Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon humorously responded to the exchange on social media.
Recently, California voters approved Proposition 50, a measure intended to increase Democratic seats in the state. The DOJ quickly sued to block California’s redistricting maps, arguing they were racially motivated. Simultaneously occurring, Texas Republicans are moving ahead with their new map, which could net them up to five additional House seats in the 2026 midterms. California Democrats, who already hold a majority of the state’s 52 congressional seats, also expect to gain seats under their redistricting plan.
Newsom spars with Bondi over California redistricting lawsuit after Texas win
The Department of Justice traded barbs with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D-CA) office on social media after the Supreme Court delivered a mid-decade redistricting win for Texas Republicans on Thursday.
The online exchange started when Attorney General Pam Bondi hailed the high court’s decision to halt a lower court’s order that had tossed the new Texas congressional map for the 2026 elections.
“Federal courts have no right to interfere with a State’s decision to redraw legislative maps for partisan reasons. A federal district court ignored that principle two weeks ago, and the Supreme Court correctly stayed that overreaching decision tonight,” Bondi said on X, congratulating Texas and Solicitor General D. John Sauer on the redistricting victory.
In response, Newsom’s social media-savvy press office asked, “So you gonna drop your lawsuit against us right, Pam?”
The DOJ rejected the suggestion, vowing to stop the California governor’s redistricting efforts: “Not a chance, Gavin — we will stop your [diversity, equity, and inclusion] districts for 2026.”
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, who leads the department’s Civil Rights Division, also weighed in with a jokey response.
California voters headed to the polls last month to approve Proposition 50, a ballot measure designed to boost the number of blue seats in the state. Shortly thereafter, the DOJ sued California to stop its “race-based gerrymandered maps.”
Meanwhile, Texas Republicans’ redistricting agenda is proceeding in light of the Supreme Court ruling. The 6-3 decision was handed down along ideological lines.
SUPREME COURT ALLOWS TEXAS TO USE REDRAWN CONGRESSIONAL MAP FOR 2026 ELECTIONS
The GOP-friendly Texas congressional map, signed into law this year, could possibly let Republicans gain up to five additional House seats in next year’s midterm elections.
With their redrawn map, California Democrats could also secure a net gain of five more House seats. California contains 52 congressional seats, the most in the nation. Democrats already represent a significant majority of those districts.
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