Supreme Court Allows New California Voting Map for Midterms

The US Supreme Court cleared California to use its new congressional map that favors Democrats during this year’s midterm election, giving the party a pathway to neutralize anticipated Republican gains in the House due to new districts in Texas.

The justices on Wednesday denied a request from the California Republican party and the US Department of Justice to prevent the state from using its new voter-approved map on the grounds that it was racially gerrymandered and therefore illegal. California leaders have maintained that the new map was drawn purely to counteract the Republican redistricting in Texas and that race was not a factor.