California’s Prop 50 maps survive court review, ready for 2026 elections

A federal three-judge panel in California upheld Prop 50, allowing California’s newly drawn congressional maps to be used in the 2026 midterms. The court rejected Republican claims that the maps were drawn to favor Latinos and that race was the predominant factor, instead concluding Prop 50 reflected voters’ intent to pursue partisan redistricting to flip five GOP seats to Democrats. The ruling reinforces the November approval of Prop 50 and underscores the ongoing debate over gerrymandering in state redistricting.