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Federal court clears California’s new House map boosting Democrats ahead of 2026 midterms
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California can move forward with a new U.S. House map that would boost Democrats’ chances in the 2026 midterms, a federal court ruled Wednesday.
A three-judge panel in Los Angeles ruled 2-1 to deny requests from both state Republicans and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to block the map from being used, giving Democrats a realistic chance at flipping up to five House seats in the midterm election.
In November, California voters passed a ballot initiative, known as Proposition 50, dramatically altering the state’s congressional districts. The pursuit of the new map was largely viewed as an attempt to offset recent redistricting in Texas, which generated more Republican-leaning districts.
«Republicans’ weak attempt to silence voters failed,» California Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement. «California voters overwhelmingly supported Prop 50 – to respond to Trump’s rigging in Texas – and that is exactly what this court concluded.»
FEDERAL JUDGES BLOCK TEXAS FROM USING REDRAWN CONGRESSIONAL MAP
California Gov. Gavin Newsom praised a federal court decision allowing the state to move forward with a new congressional map. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
The complaint challenged California’s efforts to redraw the state’s congressional map, with DOJ Civil Rights Division lawyers arguing that race was «used as a proxy» to justify creating districts that benefit Democrats.
But California Democrats argued that the map was legal because it was drawn for partisan advantage.
In 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that partisan gerrymandering is a political question and not one for federal courts to decide. On Wednesday, the California panel sided with the state’s argument, saying there was insufficient evidence that the maps were drawn based on race.
RED STATE MOVES FORWARD ON TRUMP-BACKED PUSH FOR NEW CONGRESSIONAL MAP
California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks next to his wife Jennifer Siebel Newsom after California’s special election on Proposition 50, a measure that would temporarily redraw congressional districts, at the California Democratic Party Headquarters in Sacramento, California, Nov. 4, 2025. (REUTERS/Fred Greaves)
«After reviewing the evidence, we conclude that it was exactly as one would think: it was partisan,» the judges wrote.
U.S. District Judge Kenneth Lee, an appointee of President Donald Trump, said in dissent that at least one district was drawn using race as a factor «to curry favor with Latino groups and voters.»
Still, Republicans are expected to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court.
HIGH-STAKES MAP FIGHT: HERE ARE THE NEXT BATTLEGROUNDS IN THE TRUMP VS. DEMOCRATS REDISTRICTING SHOWDOWN
Former Vice President Kamala Harris attends a Yes on Proposition 50 rally at the Los Angeles Convention Center Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
The panel’s ruling constitutes a major victory for Democrats following the implementation of new congressional maps in several Republican-led states.
Last year, Missouri moved forward with congressional redistricting that favors Republicans, and North Carolina’s Republican-controlled legislature signed off on a new map that may lead to an additional congressional victory for the GOP.
«Californians overwhelmingly voted in favor of Proposition 50. Today’s decision upholds the will of the people. It also means that, to date, every single challenge against Proposition 50 has failed,» California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement. «I couldn’t be prouder of my team for successfully defending this ballot initiative in court on behalf of Governor Newsom and Secretary of State Weber. We remain confident in the legality of Proposition 50.»
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House maps are typically redrawn every 10 years following the census, and the process rarely takes place mid-decade. California relies on an independent commission to draw maps, while other states, including Texas, allow lawmakers to lead the effort.
To retake control of the House in the midterms, Democrats need to pick up only a handful of seats. Republicans currently hold a narrow majority with 218 seats to Democrats’ 213.
Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser, Ashley Oliver and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Leavitt scoffs at reporter who questioned when Trump has been ‘falsely called racist’: ‘You’re kidding?’
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White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Wednesday pushed back on a reporter who asked for examples of when the president had been «falsely called racist.»
«Yesterday, in his statement about Jesse Jackson, the president said ‘despite the fact that I’m falsely and consistently called a racist by the scoundrels and lunatics and the radical left Democrats all, it was always my pleasure to help Jesse along the way.’ Where or when does the president believe he’s been falsely called racist?» the reporter asked.
Leavitt responded to the reporter in disbelief and asked if he was «kidding,» to which the reporter replied that he was not.
«I will pull you [a] plethora of examples. I’m going to get my team in that room to start, going through the Internet of radical Democrats throughout the years and who have accused this president falsely of being a racist. And I’m sure there’s many people in this room and on network television across the country who have accused him of the same. In fact, I know that because I’ve seen it with my own eyes,» Leavitt said.
WHITE HOUSE BLASTS TOP HOUSE DEMOCRAT AS A ‘BUFFOON’ AFTER JEFFRIES BRANDS STEPHEN MILLER A ‘HATEFUL BIGOT’
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks during a news briefing in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House on Feb. 18, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
The press secretary noted that the president was scheduled on Wednesday to hold an event marking Black History Month. Additionally, she listed a number of policy accomplishments aimed at benefiting both the Black community and Americans as a whole, such as the administration’s commitment to funding Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and the establishment of Trump accounts.
«So, there is a lot this president has done for all Americans, regardless of race, and he has absolutely been falsely called and smeared as a racist. And I’m happy to provide you those receipts, and we gladly will right after this briefing,» Leavitt added.
Donald Trump and Jesse Jackson attend Tyson-Spinks Boxing Match on June 27, 1988, at the Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. (Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
TRUMP REMEMBERS JESSE JACKSON AS ‘GOOD MAN,’ ‘FORCE OF NATURE’
The reporter was referring to President Donald Trump’s post regarding the death of Reverend Jesse Jackson, who died on Tuesday at the age of 84. The president, who posted several pictures of himself with Jackson, remembered the late reverend as a «good man with lots of personality, grit and ‘street smarts’» before making the remarks about being falsely labeled as a racist.
Trump noted that he supported and «provided office space» for Jackson and the reverend’s civil rights organization, the Rainbow PUSH Coalition. Additionally, Trump said that he had responded to Jackson’s «request for help getting criminal justice reform passed and signed, when no other president would even try.» The president also touted his own work to secure long-term funding for HBCUs.
«Jesse was a force of nature like few others before him,» Trump said before seemingly taking a swipe at the reverend over his support of former President Barack Obama’s candidacy.
Donald Trump and The Reverend Jesse Jackson with singers from the hotel lounge act at the Tyson vs Holmes pre-fight party at Trump Plaza Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, N.J., Jan. 22, 1988. (Jeffrey Asher/ Getty Images)
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«He loved his family greatly, and to them I send my deepest sympathies and condolences. Jesse will be missed!» Trump added.
The president has often faced accusations of racism from prominent Democrats, including his most recent predecessor, former President Joe Biden. Trump has long pushed back against the notion, highlighting his relationships with prominent Black figures during his celebrity days and his policy moves during his time as president.
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UN Security Council moves up session on Gaza, West Bank ahead of Trump’s inaugural Board of Peace meeting
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The United Nations Security Council will convene a high-level meeting Wednesday to address the fragile Gaza ceasefire and Israel’s expanding operations in the West Bank as diplomatic attention shifts toward President Donald Trump’s upcoming inaugural Board of Peace meeting.
The session in New York was initially planned for Thursday but was moved up, according to The Associated Press, after Trump announced that his newly formed Board of Peace would meet the same day, creating scheduling conflicts for diplomats expected to attend both events.
The AP reported that the foreign ministers of the United Kingdom, Israel, Jordan, Egypt and Indonesia are expected to attend the monthly Middle East meeting of the 15-member U.N. Security Council.
Several Arab and Islamic nations requested the session last week to address the situation in Gaza and Israel’s expansion of settlements in the West Bank before some of their leaders head to Washington.
TRUMP ENVOY WARNS HAMAS OF ‘SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES’ AS ADMIN LAUNCHES PHASE TWO OF GAZA PLAN
Palestinian U.N. Ambassador Riyad Mansour speaks to the media on behalf of the Arab Group at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City Feb. 17, 2026. (Zamek/VIEWpress via Getty Images)
Trump announced Monday that member states of his newly formed Board of Peace have pledged more than $5 billion toward humanitarian aid and reconstruction efforts in Gaza.
He said participating countries have also committed thousands of personnel to an international stabilization force and local policing efforts aimed at maintaining security in the enclave.
In outlining the initiative, Trump said Hamas must adhere to what he described as a commitment to «full and immediate demilitarization,» framing the effort as a broader push toward regional stability.
TRUMP LAUNCHES PHASE 2 OF GAZA PEACE PLAN — BUT HAMAS DISARMAMENT REMAINS THE REAL TEST
Palestinians shop for food beneath a destroyed building in Gaza City’s Zawiya market Feb. 18, 2026, during the first days of Ramadan. (Omar Al-Qattaa/AFP via Getty Images)
Israel formally joined the Board of Peace Feb. 11 ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s meeting with Trump at the White House.
Netanyahu was not present at the initial ceremony held in Davos, Switzerland, in late January, where leaders from 17 countries, including presidents and other senior government officials from Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Central and Southeast Asia signed the founding charter alongside Trump.
Netanyahu later agreed to join the initiative after previously raising concerns about the composition of the Gaza executive board, particularly the roles of Qatar and Turkey.
President Donald Trump, center, holds up a signed Board of Peace charter during the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 22, 2026. (Evan Vucci/AP Photo)
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A number of other countries were invited by the White House to participate, including Russia, Belarus, France, Germany, Vietnam, Finland, Ukraine, Ireland, Greece and China.
Poland and Italy said they would not join the board.
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