The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to block California’s newly drawn congressional map, a victory for Democrats and a setback for the California Republican Party and the Trump administration. The court issued a brief, unsigned order denying an emergency appeal from GOP challengers. No justice noted a dissent, a common occurrence in emergency docket rulings.

The map was approved by voters last November under Proposition 50 and could shift as many as five House seats now held by Republicans to Democratic control in the 2026 midterm elections.

Republicans argued the map unlawfully used race as a factor in drawing districts.

A lower federal court rejected that claim in a 2–1 decision, finding the plan was rooted in partisan goals rather than racial motives.

Conservative Justice Samuel Alito, in a separate context in December, noted that “it appeared both states had adopted new maps for political advantage,” a characterization reflecting the court’s long-standing treatment of partisan gerrymandering claims as non-justiciable under current precedent.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom welcomed the decision. On social media, he wrote that “Donald Trump said he was ‘entitled’ to five more congressional seats in Texas. He started this redistricting war. He lost, and he’ll lose again in November.”

California Attorney General Rob Bonta also praised the ruling. He said it was “good news not only for Californians, but for our democracy.”

The California Republican Party said it intends to keep fighting the map’s use in future elections. Michael Columbo, counsel for the plaintiffs, said in a statement, “We will continue to vigorously argue for Equal Protection under the law for all of California’s voters.”

A longtime Republican strategist, Jon Fleishman, wrote on X that the ruling means “this year’s elections will take place on the new lines shrinking the already very small Republican delegation from California.”

The legal fight parallels a dispute over redistricting in Texas, where the Supreme Court last year allowed a Republican-drawn map to go into effect despite a lower court’s finding that it likely discriminates on the basis of race.

The California map was drawn in part as a response to Texas changes pursued at the urging of President Donald Trump.

Filing for California’s congressional primaries begins Monday, with the new districts set to shape both the primary and general election campaigns.