The US Justice Department has entered the fray in a lawsuit brought forward by California Republicans, aiming to prevent the state's newly approved electoral boundaries.
This court case, submitted to a US district court, challenges the map supported by the state's Democratic governor, which was created in response to a Republican-led gerrymander in Texas.
"California's redistricting scheme constitutes a brazen power grab that violates voting rights and undermines the democratic process," declared the US attorney general.
Democrats have voiced assurance that the new maps will withstand court challenges.
"These opponents lost at the ballot box and soon they will also lose in court," commented a representative for the governor.
Constitutional Challenge
The legal challenge asserts that California's map wrongfully utilized racial considerations to heavily favor Hispanic voters in contravention of the US Constitution.
"It is unconstitutional to use race as a substitute to advance political interests, but that is precisely what the California General Assembly did with Proposition 50," argued a high-ranking representative from the Civil Rights Division.
Broader Implications
The legal battle constitutes the major response by the Democratic party in the continuing redistricting war that began in Texas and has extended to multiple states.
Unlike other states, where Republican state legislatures have implemented partisan maps, California's plan needed public consent, which it received with nearly 65% of the vote.
Wider Consequences
Democrats need to gain just a small number of GOP-controlled House seats to gain majority of the chamber in next year's midterm election.
The party that holds the controlling share will influence the remaining period of the current administration, determining whether a unified Republican Congress will persist in implementing its political program or encounter opposition, congressional probes and potential further challenges.
- Legal representation for the plaintiffs is being provided by a well-known legal group
- The firm's founder currently holds the position of senior DOJ official
- However, this individual has been removed from the current litigation
