A bipartisan state commission created to guide the redistricting process in New York has approved a new proposed map that closely resembles the current court-drawn map. The commission’s 9-to-1 vote now puts the decision in the hands of legislative leaders in Albany. They can either accept the compromise map or push for a more favorable alternative, risking sending the whole process back to court.
The proposed map includes modest tweaks that would benefit Democrats in Syracuse and make a pair of vulnerable incumbents safer in the Hudson Valley but does not touch lines in Long Island, Westchester County, or Staten Island, which could have made Republican-held seats virtually unwinnable for incumbents in November.
While Democratic leaders in the Legislature have not committed to a course of action, it is likely they will face intense lobbying from Democrats and Republicans with a stake in the outcome. If the agreement is accepted, it would immediately endanger a first-term Republican representative in Syracuse but benefit four other endangered Republican incumbents.
The entire process is playing out under the watch of the courts, with both parties wary of potential lawsuits to block any solution deemed too partisan. The commission has faced challenges since it first assembled in 2022, but sustained disagreement led to a court-appointed special master drafting a replacement map, which helped Republicans flip four seats in 2022. After a new court ruling in December ordered the commission to put new maps in place, the bipartisan commission ultimately reached a compromise on the proposed map.
This development represents an important decision for the national fight for control of the House, with New York’s swing seats possibly tipping the contest. The potential impact of the new map on the upcoming midterms is significant, making it an issue of great concern for both Democrats and Republicans.
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