Pennsylvania: The 2018 Elections Just Got A Bit Easier For Democrats Thanks To The Supreme Court – IOTW Report

Pennsylvania: The 2018 Elections Just Got A Bit Easier For Democrats Thanks To The Supreme Court

Daily Caller: The Pennsylvania legislature will redraw the state’s congressional district lines in advance of the 2018 midterm elections, after the Supreme Court Monday declined to overturn an order requiring a new map.

The decision is a victory for Pennsylvania Democrats, who convinced the state supreme court in January that the current map is gerrymandered to favor Republicans, in violation of the state constitution. The court ordered the GOP-controlled legislature to produce a new map by Feb. 9.

Justice Samuel Alito, who handles emergency motions arising from Pennsylvania, turned away the legislature’s request to delay the redrawing. Republicans argued the state supreme court’s decision effectively stripped them of their power to produce district maps, which the Constitution vests with state lawmakers. There was no noted dissent.

The state court’s decision was made under the auspices of Pennsylvania’s constitution. The justices generally allow state courts to have the final word on matters relating to a state’s constitution.

Republican leaders acknowledged their effort was something of a long shot. Still, they argue the uncertainty prompted by the state supreme court’s ruling warranted dramatic steps. The new district lines could dramatically change the political environment and impose significant logistical burdens on campaigns, just weeks before the March filing deadline. Primaries will follow shortly thereafter in May. Read more

7 Comments on Pennsylvania: The 2018 Elections Just Got A Bit Easier For Democrats Thanks To The Supreme Court

  1. How dare those republicans. Don’t they know that gerrymandering is only permitted when it gives democrats the advantage. If I were the republicans, I would redraw it to give republicans even more of an advantage, as many times as necessary until the clock runs out.

  2. Yup, such BS everywhere. I NOW live in Virginia’s 3rd District after the getting the boot from the 4th. The 3rd was Gerrymandered to include very black enclave from Norfolk to Richmond and nothing else.

    https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2b/Virginia_US_Congressional_District_3_%28since_2013%29.tif/lossless-page1-1920px-Virginia_US_Congressional_District_3_%28since_2013%29.tif.png

    Unfair! Who’d have thought Gerrymandering also involved so many areas that didn’t even touch each other?

    Now it looks all nice a neat – one big circle of constituents – except it purposely only incorporates the darker parts of 8 cities and counties but not a single city or county in it entirety. Effing scammers everywhere.

    https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/VA/3

  3. I live in one of those districts. The new candidate, whomever it will be, has until March 20th to file all the papers to run in the district. Primaries are in May. The “Goofy kicking Donald” district is being vacated by disgraced Pat Meehan, he use tax dollars to pay off sex harassment. I live in the Republican fly-over section at the top of Goofy’s hat.

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