NEW YORK — The state Court of Appeals has ordered an independent redistricting commission to redraw New York’s congressional districts.
It’s a move that has national implications and could affect which party controls the House of Representatives.
The decision, which came down Tuesday afternoon, throws a monkey wrench into the 2024 congressional races in New York, where the six freshman Republicans who won last time could have to run in new district lines that are less favorable, and it could give Democrats a leg up in taking back control of the House, where only a handful of votes separate the two parties.
The New York Congressional Delegation currently has 15 Democrats and 11 Republicans. If all six freshmen lose and everything else stays the same next November, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries could become speaker.
Depending on how the independent redistricting commission redraws the maps, the most vulnerable New York congressmen could be Mike Lawler of Rockland County, Anthony D’Esposito of Long Island, and Marc Molinaro of Dutchess County.
Former congressman Tom Suozzi, a Democrat running to replace the expelled George Santos, could also see his district redrawn to add more likely Democrat voters.
Needless to say, the Republicans are furious and the Democrats are thrilled.
“I think it’s corruption at its finest. We had a ruling last year that overturned the Democrats’ attempts to gerrymander New York’s maps and violate the Constitution. And because they didn’t like the outcome, they decided that they would do it once more,” Lawler said.
“This is what the court should have said last year. If they thought the process was incomplete, they should have just ordered the commission to finish the job, not take it completely away and draw the lines themselves through a special master from another state. That was just an absurd outcome to begin with. I’m glad now that things are being made right,” said state Sen. Michael Gianaris, a Democrat representing Queens.
New York GOP Chair Ed Cox and House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik from upstate New York have hinted at more court action, saying they “will not give up the fight against gerrymandering.”
The commission has until Feb. 28 to finish its work.
Please stay with CBS2, CBS News New York, and CBSNewYork.com for more on this developing story.