California Congressional Redistricting Challenge (Issa)
Jackson and Issa v. Weber and Newsom
An anti-voting lawsuit seeking to derail California’s response to nationwide GOP gerrymanders.
Background
Republican Representatives Ronny Jackson (R-Texas) and Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) filed a lawsuit challenging California’s new redistricting laws — collectively known as the Election Rigging Response Act.
The plaintiffs allege that California’s actions violate the Equal Protection Clause, Elections Clause and Guarantee Clause of the U.S. Constitution. They claim that Governor Gavin Newsom (D) and Secretary of State Shirley Weber engineered a partisan redistricting plan intended to “neutralize” Republican gains in states like Texas by reshaping California’s congressional map to benefit Democrats.
Jackson and Issa assert personal and voter-based harms. Jackson contends that if California’s map leads to Democratic control of the U.S. House in 2027, he will lose his subcommittee chairmanships and related resources. Issa argues that his own vote in the reconfigured district will be diluted.
Why It Matters
California’s redistricting plan arrives amid a wave of partisan redrawing by Republican-controlled states, most notably Texas. In turn, California lawmakers — led by Newsom — enacted their Election Rigging Response Act as a direct countermeasure, intended to neutralize Republican gerrymanders nationwide.
At stake is not only California’s sovereignty over its redistricting process but also the balance of power in the U.S. House.
Latest Updates
- Oct. 31, 2025: The lawsuit was dismissed for lack of standing.
- Oct. 29, 2025: Plaintiffs filed their complaint.