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Politics

Prop. 50 maps are here to stay; what that means for San Diego

Door hangers in support of Prop 50. They read "Stop Trump's Power Grap" and "Alto al abuso de poder de Trump"
Door hangers with English and Spanish language in support of Prop 50

California’s new congressional map that voters approved with Proposition 50 is here to stay.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to hear the California Republican Party’s appeal of a lower court ruling that said the maps were allowed. That means they will stay in place for the 2026 midterm elections.

Proposition 50 promised the state would return to its independent redistricting commission after the 2030 census, when redistricting is normally scheduled.

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It’s part of an ongoing nationwide battle over redistricting that could decide who controls the U.S. House of Representatives in 2027.

San Diego’s current congressional delegation includes four Democrats and one Republican, Rep. Darrell Issa. He didn’t respond to a request for comment.

Proposition 50 redrew all five San Diego County congressional districts but the biggest regional impact is expected in Issa's 48th. The new district now has more registered Democrats than Republicans.

Candidates are already lining up to run against him. They include Ammar Campa-Najjar, who lost to Issa in 2020; and San Diego City Councilmember Marni Von-WIlpert.

But San Diego County Democratic Party chair Will Rodriguez-Kennedy told KPBS the election is anything but decided.

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“We still have to make sure that our message resonates with the people,” Rodriguez-Kennedy said. “We're still going to have to be talking to people to make sure … that they are on board with electing a Democrat to Congress in order to check that cruel Trump administration.”

He said that winning the election is just the start.

“People need to see a Democratic party that fights for them,” Rodriguez-Kennedy said. “So that's what we're going to have to convince people that we're going to do. When that happens, we need to start acting like it.”

California’s new map is intended to counteract the new map that Texas Republicans drew at the request of President Donald Trump, who said last year that Republicans were “entitled” to more congressional seats.

As a result, California Gov. Newsom worked with the state legislature to try to offset any gains that Republicans would make in Texas.

Ballots for the primary will start to go out in May, and the California’s primary election will take place June 2.

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