Posted on 02/06/2022 3:14:47 PM PST by george76
Republicans control a majority of state legislatures and governorships, but they appear to be in danger of losing congressional seats in the wake of the 2020 Census.
Democrat-controlled states have managed to successfully redraw congressional districts that shut out remaining GOP strongholds while Republican-led states have run up against successful legal challenges to their maps — all of which could cost the party seats in Congress later this year when they were expected to do well in the midterm elections as President Joe Biden’s approval rating continues to tank.
Historically, the party not holding the White House has done well during midterm elections and Republicans were expected to do so, too, but increasingly state Democrats appear to be using redistricting as a means of not only solidifying blue seats but eking out new seats by redrawing districts long held by Republicans.
In New York, a group of Republican voters has filed a lawsuit to block a redistricting map that they say is clearly gerrymandered to help Democrats gain as many as four new seats in Congress.
Fox News reports:
The lawsuit claims the redistricting map is “unconstitutional” and accuses state Democrats of gerrymandering, The NY Times reported.
As many as four Republican-held seats in Congress could be wiped out under the plan.
“This court should reject it as a matter of substance, as the map is an obviously unconstitutional partisan and incumbent-protection gerrymander,” the 67-page lawsuit said.
Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the new legislative map into existence last week, leading the state GOP to launch a public pressure campaign to assist in the effort to get the map tossed out.
...
Not surprisingly, Democrats say the map is good to go. Mike Murphy, a spokesman for state Sen. Andrea Stewart-Cousins, the chamber’s Democratic Majority leader, claimed that party is “100 percent confident” that the new redistricting lines will pass legal muster.
“They are a gigantic step forward for fairer representation and reflect the strength and diversity of NY like never before,” Murphy added, The NY Times reported.
...
In neighboring New Jersey, the state’s Supreme Court dismissed a Republican lawsuit that said the new congressional map should be sent back to the redistricting commission for further consideration, according to Politico. It also asked former Supreme Court Justice John Wallace, the commissioner who breaks ties, to recuse himself.
“This Court has no role in the outcome of the redistricting process unless the map is ‘unlawful,’” the judges said in their unanimous ruling, in which they added that the complainants were not taking issue with the legality of the redistricting but rather the process used.
“Questions of partisanship or the appearance of partisanship can affect the public’s confidence, yet our current system is designed to be overseen by twelve partisan members and a thirteenth member whom the party delegations propose,” Chief Justice Stuart Rabner wrote. “The outcome commonly garners praise from one party and criticism from the other.”
...
Republicans control the state legislature in North Carolina, but they lost a Supreme Court ruling in that state as well after producing a redistricting map.
“Fantastic news for voters and the health of our democracy — the NC Supreme Court just struck down the legislative and congressional maps as an unconstitutional partisan gerrymander,” North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, a Democrat, tweeted Friday. “The maps violate a voter’s fundamental right to vote.”
In response, the North Carolina GOP said it was “disappointed” but not “surprised” by the decision.
“From the outset, Democrats made clear their intentions of leveraging an activist judiciary to seize political gain despite the Republican-led legislature’s open, transparent, constitutional process,” the party said in a statement. “The NCGOP looks forward to another open, constitutional process for the legislature to redraw these maps and sincerely hope the constitutional order is not upended yet again by Democrats writing policy from the bench.”
Pennsylvania’s map was also approved last week, and it allegedly reflects the state’s changing rural-to-urban population shift. But Fox News reports that it, too, will likely be challenged by Republicans for endangering GOP seats.
“The vote was 4-1 with state House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff, a Republican, dissenting. Before the vote, she said, ‘the fix was in’ and claimed the map was racially based,” Fox News added.
Vote for those fighting Republicans. They get cheated and ask for a second helping.
Good. A vast majority in this country doesn’t care anymore. Might as well accelerate the death spiral.
Soooooo frustrating. Big opportunity ahead of us, yet the GOP can’t fight like the Dems can.
We don’t expect a fair fight do we?
the RNC are worthless POS!! I’m looking at you McDaniel!!
I’m almost there with you it seems pointless to fight for Republicans that are unwilling to fight for themselves
Sure they can; just have them compete against a conservative and they’ll fight like rabid roosters.
That you, Ray Epps?
The problem is not GOP legislatures or governors. The problem is that judicial activism is a one-way ratchet. Leftist activist judges will swing way out of their lanes to give the dems what they want. Conservative judges don’t do the reverse. Republicans will appeal these democrat overreaches, but whether they can get higher courts to overturn the democrat power grabbing decisions remains to be seen.
its by design...pubs need to stay the “woe is me” patsies and they do a fine good job at it....
Sometimes, Dumb-O-Crats are violating their own state laws or Constitutions by doing these things. Where they are violating their own state laws or Constitutions, it’s just another form of cheating in elections.
“state Sen. Andrea Stewart-Cousins, the chamber’s Democratic Majority leader, claimed that party is “100 percent confident” that the new redistricting lines will pass legal muster.”
Translation: the fix is in.
Dhimmicrap “judges” know this is the only way their party can retain control of Congress.
And you continue to project your own cowardice onto others.
He’s a concern troll. He has been for a LONG time.
Democrats play dirty and have ZERO honor and ZERO intentions of fair play.
They look at voting like a board game where the rules don’t apply. They have judges in their pockets and they play to steal, not win. Doesn’t matter how it’s done; or how much fraud is required or how much bribery is needed to buy judges and election officials.
Dems will NEVER give up power in a fair game... NEVER! Count, count and re-count until enough fraud is added that overcomes the lawful winner.
Dems know if the elections were held fair, transparent and honest... they would be all voted out. Cheating, bribes and fraud is the only way they can hold onto power. The Dem party is a corrupt & dirty cesspool of malfeasance, greed and graft. A mendacious cartel of grifters and thieves that exist only to enrich themselves with money and power.
Diogenes of Sinope (l. c. 404-323 BCE) was a Greek Cynic philosopher who spent his time searching for an honest man.
Today someone should search for an honest judge. Not saying they’ll find one. Just sayin’.
The Democrats have spent years corrupting the courts. Infiltrating them with very bad people. The courts are now corrupt.
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