‘Foolish’: Costa reacts to GOP lawsuit against redistricting

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Just hours after polls closed in California’s special election on redistricting, California Republicans are already suing over the new maps. 

The plaintiffs allege the maps violate the Voting Rights Act. 

“I know they did not follow the process because I am on the elections committee,” Republican Assemblymember David Tangipa said. 

He has been on the frontlines of the fight against Proposition 50 in the state assembly. Now that election day has come and gone, that fight now moves to the courts with a lawsuit filed Wednesday.

The suit claims the new maps, which were overwhelmingly passed by California voters, violate the 14th and 15th amendments of the United States Constitution. 

“They did not give us any justification for why they had to use race-based redistricting. We heard from the person who drew the maps that he used race to create more minority majority districts,” Tangipa said. 

The federal lawsuit alleges the maps are unconstitutional because they favor Hispanic and Latino voters.

Tangipa said these new maps will disenfranchise many rural Californians. 

“I understand the election, but you cannot break the rules. You can’t create your own rules of engagement and then say that everything is okay,” he added. 

The state GOP and the lawyers who are filing this suit said they hope to get an answer in the coming weeks before the bulk of the 2026 campaign season heats up. 

Proposition 50 changes the shape of districts across California, including longtime Democrat Jim Costa’s. Costa represents California’s 21^st Congressional District. Under the new maps, he is now one of three House members to represent Clovis in DC, along with Republicans Vince Fong and Tom McClintock. 

“That means is that the people of Clovis will have three representatives that they can reach out to in both political parties, and that’s an asset,” Costa said. 

Prop 50 suspends California’s independent redistricting committee until 2030, meaning the maps would be in effect for the 2026, 2028, and 2030 election cycles. Costa said while he is a proponent of independent redistricting, he is supportive of this ballot measure. 

Costa also said he doesn’t think the lawsuit will go very far. 

“I think the lawsuit is all about political posturing, and it’s foolish and it’s wasteful because it’s not going to be successful. The people of California have spoken overwhelmingly by 64%,” he said. 

Votes are still being counted in this election. The new maps can be viewed here.