Bondi Slams California Court Over Race-Based Redistricting Map

California’s Democrats just scored a win in the courts and possibly rigged the 2026 House elections in the process.

On Thursday, a federal three-judge panel gave the green light to California’s controversial new congressional map, drawn under Proposition 50 and aggressively pushed by Governor Gavin Newsom. The map, passed by voters in November, is projected to hand Democrats as many as five new seats in the House. But the decision, reached by a narrow 2–1 margin, is already facing intense pushback from constitutional watchdogs.

Attorney General Pam Bondi didn’t mince words. In a statement posted to X, she slammed the ruling and vowed that the fight isn’t over:

“California impermissibly drew its new congressional map based on race,” Bondi wrote. “The Justice Department is reviewing all legal options.”

Bondi’s warning comes as concerns grow that Democrats are hiding racial gerrymandering behind a thin veil of partisanship a tactic that’s becoming disturbingly common in blue-run states. California’s defense was simple: the map wasn’t drawn to benefit minorities, but to benefit Democrats. That excuse, thanks to a 2019 Supreme Court ruling, now shields them from legal scrutiny.

Here’s what you need to know:

• The new map was engineered to favor Hispanic voters, a point acknowledged in part by dissenting Judge Kenneth Lee, who warned it was designed “to curry favor with Latino groups and voters.”

• Republicans challenged the map, along with the Department of Justice, arguing that race not politics was the real driver.

• Governor Newsom justified the map as “retaliation” for GOP-led redistricting in Texas, signaling this was more about political vengeance than fair representation.

The map’s legality hinges on semantics. If it was drawn for “partisan” reasons, it’s untouchable under federal law. If it was drawn based on race, it’s unconstitutional. The problem? In California, the two are often one and the same. Democrats dominate minority-heavy regions and weaponizing racial demographics under the guise of partisanship gives them carte blanche to redraw at will.

Make no mistake this isn’t just about California. This is about Democrats bending the rules to grab power nationally. With Republicans holding a razor-thin House majority, flipping just a handful of seats in California could be enough to derail Trump’s 2026 agenda, should he reclaim the White House. That means more subpoenas, more investigations, and two more years of gridlock.

Meanwhile, across the country:

• North Carolina, Ohio, and Missouri are redrawing their maps to correct past imbalances.

• A judge in Utah forced a GOP-led legislature to approve a Democrat-friendly district.

• And yet, the Justice Department has only targeted California raising questions about political bias in enforcement.

The Supreme Court may soon be asked to step in and they should. When Democrats can use race to build districts, then hide behind “partisan intent” as a legal shield, the system is broken. Judge Lee had it right: racial gerrymandering cloaked as partisanship is still unconstitutional.

Pam Bondi is right to fight back. The integrity of our elections depends on it.

Share this article or subscribe to our newsletter for updates to someone who still thinks Democrats are the party of “voting rights.”