“The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled Monday that the Republican-drawn state congressional map is illegally gerrymandered to benefit the GOP, ordering new maps ahead of the 2018 midterm elections. The decision in one of the country’s most closely watched redistricting battles will provide a boost to Democrats seeking to retake the House of Representatives by giving the party an opportunity to pick up Republican-held seats.
In 2011, Republicans who had swept into power in the wave election the previous November drew one of the country’s most aggressive gerrymanders. Now, Pennsylvania provides a unique opportunity to Democrats in 2018. As Mother Jones previously reported:
While Pennsylvania has roughly equal numbers of Democratic and Republican voters (Donald Trump won here by just 44,000 votes out of more than 6 million cast), for the last six years its congressional delegation has been made up of 13 Republicans and just five Democrats, who mostly represent Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. As Democrats scour the country for the approximately two dozen candidates and winnable districts they’ll need to take back the House, a redrawn congressional map in Pennsylvania could present the party with some prime opportunities to pick up seats.”
The court requires a new map to be presented to the Democratic Governor for his approval by Feb. 9th.
Mother Jones also reports the Supreme Court is unlikely to interfere with the state court’s decision.
Finger’s Crossed.
Stephen Wolf's excellent diary from May, 2015 projects that a fair map could result in 2-4 Democratic pick-ups.
*Rubs hands together gleefully*
Excellent!