The Supreme Court just handed Democrats a major weapon in the fight for Congress—and not a single justice said a word against it.

On Wednesday, the court rejected a last-ditch effort by California Republicans and the Trump administration to block the state’s new voter-approved congressional map, which could flip up to five GOP-held seats blue in 2026.

WHAT’S GOING ON: This is redistricting warfare, and Democrats just won a battle. Last year, Trump pushed Texas Republicans to redraw their congressional maps specifically to gain five seats—despite a lower court finding the maps likely discriminate based on race. The Supreme Court let Texas use those maps anyway.

So California Gov. Gavin Newsom said: fine, two can play this game. But unlike Texas Republicans, who just needed to strong-arm their legislature, Newsom had to actually convince voters. And he did. California’s new map passed, and now it’s locked in for 2026.

OF COURSE: The Trump administration tried to block California’s map while defending Texas’s racist gerrymander. Their argument? California’s map “improperly relied on race.” A federal court disagreed 2-1. And apparently, even this Supreme Court—which has spent years gutting voting rights—couldn’t stomach the hypocrisy of approving one state’s power grab while blocking another’s response.

Conservative Justice Samuel Alito essentially admitted the quiet part out loud back in December: both states adopted new maps for “political advantage,” which the court has ruled isn’t grounds for a federal lawsuit. Translation: if you’re going to rig maps for partisan gain, at least be consistent about letting everyone do it.

WHY IT MATTERS: Control of the House could come down to these maps. Texas Republicans tried to steal five seats through gerrymandering. California’s response could cancel that out entirely. Filing for congressional primaries in California starts Monday—this is happening now.

And here’s the thing: Democrats didn’t bend the rules to get here. They won voter support. That’s the difference between responding to authoritarian tactics and adopting them.

BOTTOM LINE: Trump’s strategy of rigging his way to a House majority just hit a wall. The Supreme Court—yes, THIS Supreme Court—let California’s counterpunch stand without a single dissent. The path to flipping the House in 2026 is wide open. Now Democrats just have to walk through it.