Five districts held by Republicans become potential Democratic pickups, but some remain highly competitive. And a number of incumbent lawmakers have easier pathways to re-election.

Initial polling suggested voters were skeptical about the break from independent redistricting. But Gov. Gavin Newsom's gambit paid off big.

California voters have passed Proposition 50 by a comfortable margin, codifying a freshly-gerrymandered congressional map for the rest of the decade.The passage of this new map — which is designed to protect a slew of vulnerable Democrats and will cost Republicans three to five seats in 2026 — is the most consequential development to date in the mid-decade redistricting wars due to the sheer number of seats that it impacts.