Washington — The California Supreme Court will not prevent Democrats from moving forward Thursday with a plan to redraw congressional districts.
Republicans in the Golden State had asked the state’s high court to step in and temporarily block the redistricting efforts, arguing that Democrats — who are racing to put the plan on the ballot later this year — had skirted a rule requiring state lawmakers to wait at least 30 days before passing newly introduced legislation.
But in a ruling late Wednesday, the court declined to act, writing that the Republican state lawmakers who filed the suit had “failed to meet their burden of establishing a basis for relief at this time.”
The California legislature is set to vote on the redistricting plan on Thursday, which would send the bill to California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk for approval.
Democratic state lawmakers in California introduced a set of bills to create new district boundaries in a way they hope would flip five congressional seats, a move made in response to President Trump and Texas Republicans’ push to reshape five congressional districts in Texas to favor the GOP. Democratic state lawmakers in California, who have a supermajority in the legislature, want to pass the bills immediately so they can place the proposal in front of voters in a Nov. 4 special election
Democrats’ proposal in California would try to flip five of the state’s nine districts currently held by Republicans and make them more friendly for Democrats. California has 52 congressional districts. The changes may require an amendment to California’s state Constitution to override the independent commission that’s currently responsible for the state’s redistricting process.
The battle over district lines may influence the midterm elections next year. Republicans hold only a slim majority in the House of Representatives, and they want to hold onto it, while Democrats are aiming to take back the House.
Newsom, a potential 2028 contender, has been leading the charge.
“Look, what we’re doing neuters, neutralizes what’s happening in Texas,” Newsom told reporters Wednesday. “People have this chance with this ballot — Nov. 4 — is stand up to the rule of law, stand up for coequal branches of government, stand up to, yes, Donald Trump, but also stand up in the spirit that defines this moment to people being bullied and people being intimidated.”
In a statement to CBS News, the GOP state lawmakers who sued over the redistricting plan said the Supreme Court’s ruling is “not the end of this fight.”
“We will continue to challenge this unconstitutional power grab in the courts and at the ballot box. Californians deserve fair, transparent elections, not secret backroom deals to protect politicians,” the statement read.
Kathryn Watson is a politics reporter for CBS News Digital, based in Washington, D.C.
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