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New York judge rules GOP-held district is unconstitutional, ordering a new map
NBC News ^ | Jan. 21, 2026 | Jane C. Timm

Posted on 01/21/2026 8:36:11 PM PST by MinorityRepublican

A New York state judge ruled that New York City’s only Republican-held congressional district was drawn unconstitutionally, ordering a new map.

Judge Jeffrey Pearlman concluded that the Staten Island-based 11th District, which is represented by GOP Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, diluted Black and Latino voting power.

Pearlman said New York’s independent redistricting commission must redraw the state’s congressional map by Feb. 6. His decision is likely to be appealed.

In the Democratic-led lawsuit, the petitioners argued that a new map should pair Staten Island with part of southern Manhattan, instead of southern Brooklyn, and move the southern Brooklyn area in question into New York's 10th District, which Democrat Dan Goldman represents.

Since the 10th District is heavily Democratic, moving part of it into the 11th District could give the party a chance to flip it in the midterm elections. Democrats control 19 of New York's 26 districts.

"In the short term, this is a victory for the Democrats — with a clouded future," said Jeffrey Wice, a professor at New York Law School and expert on redistricting in the state.

The order doesn't lay out a plan for what happens if the state redistricting commission deadlocks — as it has in the past — and it's unclear how quickly the appeals will move through the state courts, Wice said.

The ruling in New York comes amid the broader redistricting battle playing out across the country. President Donald Trump kick-started it last summer, urging GOP-led states to pursue new maps outside of the typical 10-year period to help the party protect its narrow House majority.

(Excerpt) Read more at nbcnews.com ...


TOPICS: US: New York
KEYWORDS: newyork
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1 posted on 01/21/2026 8:36:11 PM PST by MinorityRepublican
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To: MinorityRepublican

” diluted Black and Latino voting power”

didn’t SCOTUS just rule that gerrymandering to achieve some kind of racial “fairness” is unconstitutional?


2 posted on 01/21/2026 8:40:34 PM PST by catnipman ((A Vote For The Lesser Of Two Evils Still Counts As A Vote For Evil))
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To: catnipman

They haven’t ruled on that case yet. A decision is expected next month.


3 posted on 01/21/2026 8:42:32 PM PST by mbrfl
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To: MinorityRepublican

From the article:
“...His decision is likely to be appealed...”
-
Understatement of the day!


4 posted on 01/21/2026 8:59:22 PM PST by Repeal The 17th ( I am obsessed with not being obsessed with anything.)
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To: MinorityRepublican

Democrats HATE it when their tactics are used against them.


5 posted on 01/21/2026 9:00:36 PM PST by metmom (He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus….)
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To: MinorityRepublican

Never too worried about diluting white voting power though, are they?


6 posted on 01/21/2026 9:12:13 PM PST by Sicon ("All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others." - G. Orwell)
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To: MinorityRepublican

The area of Brooklyn is Bay Ridge which is across the Verrazzano Bridge from Staten Island. Manhattan is 5.5 miles away across New York Bay. So geographically this makes zero sense. Manhattan, especially southern manhattan has zero in common with Staten Island. The judge’s gripe I believe in the northern part of the island is small in number and diminished by the whiteness of Bay Ridge. It’s all Bravo Sierra.


7 posted on 01/21/2026 9:21:38 PM PST by xkaydet65
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To: MinorityRepublican

” Pearlman concluded that the Staten Island-based 11th District, which is represented by GOP Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, diluted Black and Latino voting power.”

I don’t understand. Are Black and Latino votes supposed to count more than White person’s vote? If that is the case why not just demand the votes of certain races get counted double. It would have the desired result without all the fuss about redrawing the district. SARC


8 posted on 01/21/2026 9:23:17 PM PST by lastchance (Cognovit Dominus qui sunt eius.)
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To: MinorityRepublican

Just who appointed this sorry excuse of a judge?!


9 posted on 01/21/2026 9:26:08 PM PST by No name given ( Anonymous is who you’ll know me as )
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To: MinorityRepublican

Another stupid one. Just because you change the name of the location shouldn’t mean the voters will suddenly change into flaming liberals. Same voters. And if you force them, they will move out to another district using the same vote and the original area will lose the businesses and tax money. So it will collapse financially then you’ve got a slum that won’t pay for itself and cost the area money. Stupid.

wy69


10 posted on 01/21/2026 9:36:20 PM PST by whitney69
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To: whitney69

Absolutely.


11 posted on 01/21/2026 9:48:21 PM PST by No name given ( Anonymous is who you’ll know me as )
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To: MinorityRepublican

This is ridiculous. Just read something recently saying NYC is only 35% white. Impossible to dilute asians, blacks and latinos, they have large percentages there.

This is deliberately targeting the one republican district.


12 posted on 01/21/2026 10:12:25 PM PST by Secret Agent Man (Gone Galt; not averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: MinorityRepublican

Ban the republican party already....in september.


13 posted on 01/22/2026 12:06:12 AM PST by If You Want It Fixed - Fix It
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To: No name given

Pearlman.


14 posted on 01/22/2026 1:11:45 AM PST by Bonemaker (invictus maneo)
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To: MinorityRepublican

More cheating after the mamdami commie stolen victory


15 posted on 01/22/2026 3:09:02 AM PST by ronnie raygun
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To: MinorityRepublican

Continuing proof, and I can’t believe it’s still needed, for why MAGA has to find and run candidates for EVERY party, in EVERY primary.


16 posted on 01/22/2026 3:13:55 AM PST by mewzilla (Swing away, Mr. President, swing away! 🇺🇸 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿)
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To: MinorityRepublican

Judge Jeffrey Pearlman? Yet another Boasberg, Kaplan, Hellerstein, Engelmayer, Engoron, Breyer etc etc


17 posted on 01/22/2026 3:21:34 AM PST by thegagline (Sic semper tyrannis! Trump & Vance, 2024! (Formerly) Goldwater & Thomas Sowell)
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To: catnipman

I always thought it would be more fair to preclude voting districts from crossing municipal or other jurisdictional boundaries.

In this case, since the boroughs have their own councils and therefore laws/rules/regs, how can a politician reasonably “represent” their “district” when each operates under different rules?

This’d be like including part of a different state in the district of a federal congressman or senator.


18 posted on 01/22/2026 4:18:35 AM PST by fruser1
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To: MinorityRepublican

Good job Indiana!


19 posted on 01/22/2026 4:22:16 AM PST by HYPOCRACY (Wake up, smell the cat food in your bank account. )
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To: catnipman

This judge hates America. When the anti-American hordes take total control, he will be on the list. Remember the alligator and the frog parable.


20 posted on 01/22/2026 4:35:32 AM PST by Machavelli (True God)
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