Federal authorities has entered the fray in a lawsuit brought forward by California Republicans, seeking to block the California's newly approved electoral boundaries.
This court case, submitted to federal court, targets the map championed by the state's Democratic governor, which was created in response to a GOP redistricting effort in Texas.
"The state's electoral map constitutes a brazen power grab that violates voting rights and mocks the electoral system," stated the US attorney general.
The Democratic party have voiced assurance that the redistricting plan will survive court challenges.
"The plaintiffs were defeated in the election and soon they will also lose in court," stated a representative for the governor.
Constitutional Challenge
The legal challenge asserts that California's map improperly used racial considerations to heavily favor Hispanic voters in contravention of the US Constitution.
"It is unconstitutional to use race as a substitute to further partisan goals, but that is exactly what the state legislature did with Proposition 50," argued a senior official from the Civil Rights Division.
Political Context
The legal battle represents the major response by the Democratic party in the continuing political battle that began in Texas and has extended to various parts of the country.
In contrast to elsewhere, where Republican state legislatures have implemented partisan maps, California's plan needed public consent, which it obtained with nearly 65% of the vote.
National Implications
Democrats need to gain just a small number of Republican-held House seats to gain majority of the House of Representatives in next year's midterm election.
The party that holds the majority will shape the final years of the sitting president's term, deciding if a GOP-controlled legislature will persist in implementing its agenda or face resistance, investigations and possible additional obstacles.
- Legal counsel for the plaintiffs is being handled by a prominent law firm
- The managing partner currently serves as senior DOJ official
- However, this individual has been removed from the current litigation
