U.S. Supreme Court allows California to use new congressiona

WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that California can use its new congressional map, amid an ongoing fight between Democrats and Republicans for control of the House of Representatives ahead of the midterm elections.

"The application for the writ of injunction pending appeal presented to Justice (Elena) Kagan and by her referred to the Court is denied," the Supreme Court said in a one-sentence order that provided no elaborations.

California Republicans, joined by the U.S. Department of Justice, sued over the map last year, arguing that it was racially gerrymandered. But a federal court rejected the appeal. On Jan. 20, California Republicans filed an emergency appeal to the Supreme Court seeking to block the state's new congressional map.

The new map, which favors Democrats, was approved by California voters in early November last year as a Democratic counter to the newly adopted Republican-leaning map of Texas, which U.S. President Donald Trump promoted to help the GOP maintain its slim House majority.

California's new map allows the Democratic Party to pick up as many as five House seats in this year's midterm elections, while the new map of Texas, enacted in late August, could similarly yield up to five seats for Republicans.

Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio have also adopted Republican-leaning new maps. Utah has adopted a Democrat-friendly map. Some of the redistricting efforts are facing court challenges. More states, including New York and Florida, are also considering redistricting.