GOP Gubernatorial Candidate Steve Hilton Takes Newsom’s Mid-Decade Gerrymander Scheme to Federal Court

After the California Supreme Court slammed the door on challenges to Prop 50, Hilton looks to a federal judge in Orange County to decide whether California’s mid-decade redistricting can go forward.

⏱️ 4.5 Minute Read

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Before We Analyze The Legal Case, Some Kudos To Hilton

Steve Hilton, an announced Republican candidate for Governor in 2026, deserves credit for doing what few candidates are willing to do. Too often, those running for high office understandably focus only on their own campaigns—raising money, building name ID, and working the trail. Hilton has chosen to do something more. He has filed a federal lawsuit challenging Proposition 50, the Legislature’s mid-decade redistricting scheme. By doing so, he is taking on a fight that will reverberate far beyond his own political ambitions. Hilton recognizes that Proposition 50 is not just another Sacramento power grab—it’s a measure with potential consequences that could shake the foundations of representation, not only in California but across the country. Good for him.

Beyond the paywall I go into an in-depth analysis of the current situation, the points that are made in the legal filing made by Hilton’s attorneys, and an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the case, followed by my take on why it matters.

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