New York court orders commission to redraw state’s congressional districts

New York’s highest court ordered the state’s redistricting commission Tuesday to draw a new congressional map, a decision considered a victory for Democrats in their effort to recapture the House in 2024.

Chief Judge Rowan Wilson wrote in the majority opinion that the Independent Redistricting Commission “failed to discharge its constitutional duty” with the most recent map of 26 House districts.

The IRC had failed to reach a consensus on crafting the districts, leading to a court-appointed special master to draw the state’s congressional map for the 2022 election cycle, in which Republicans picked up seats.

The New York Court of Appeals’ ruling gives the IRC a second shot, ordering the commission to submit a new map “on the earliest possible date” but no later than Feb. 28.

Democrats praised the ruling, which upheld a lower court’s decision.

“Today’s decision is a win for democracy and particularly the people of New York,” Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chair Suzan DelBene said in a statement. “We are eager for the Independent Redistricting Commission to get back to work to create a new, fair congressional map — through the process New York voters intended.”

Republicans expected the ruling to favor Democrats. After the high court’s swing vote, Caitlin Halligan, an appointee of Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul, recused herself from the case, Judge Wilson selected as a replacement Judge Dianne Renwick, who already ruled in the Democrats’ favor in a similar case.

“This decision by the Court of Appeals is corrupt Albany politics at its worst,” said Rep. Mike Lawler, a freshman lawmaker whose New York district will likely be targeted for redistricting. “Kathy Hochul, [House Minority Leader] Hakeem Jeffries, and Albany and Washington Democrats stacked the court with a handpicked judge to deliver the decision they needed to rig New York’s Congressional maps.”

A National Republican Congressional Committee spokeswoman said the GOP is “disappointed but not surprised by the Court’s decision to allow Democrats a second attempt at gerrymandering the maps.”

“Instead of focusing on policies that appeal to everyday voters, Democrats are trying to cheat their way to power,” she said. “We will continue to hold them and their terrible policies — that have led to an open border, rising crime and rampant inflation — accountable.”

House Republicans’ razor-thin majority is eroding in courtrooms across the country as redistricting lawsuits in a half-dozen states threaten to make it easier for Democrats to win back control in 2024.

A handful of lawsuits challenging congressional district maps could give Democrats an advantage in as many as 10 House races, enough to easily overtake the Republicans’ now four-seat advantage, since the expulsion of Rep. George Santos, New York Republican.

House Republicans’ troubles with their margin will continue when former speaker Kevin McCarthy, California Republican, leaves the lower chamber at the end of the month.

New York legislators in Albany went through a chaotic redistricting process in 2021 after a group of Republicans filed a lawsuit against the Democrat-dominated state legislature and Ms. Hochul for approving a highly gerrymandered congressional map.

Ultimately, a court-appointed special master re-drew New York’s congressional maps, enabling Republicans to compete in several more districts around the state, after the IRC could not reach an agreement.

Following the 2022 election, a new map among the 26-member New York delegation was composed of 15 Democrats and 11 Republicans. Before the 2022 election, the New York delegation was comprised of 27 members — 19 Democrats and eight Republicans.

Earlier this year, Democrats filed their own lawsuit to prevent 2022 maps from being used during the 2024 election cycle, and the case made its way to New York’s highest court.

Democrats said the court-drawn map was never intended to be used in more than one election and that the state’s bipartisan redistricting commission should be able to redraw the congressional maps.

Republicans have said the districts are politically balanced and that New York’s constitution does not allow for mid-decade redistricting.