New York passes congressional map with some GOP support

New York passed a new congressional map on Wednesday – capping off the end of a protracted redistricting battle that has surprisingly satisfied both parties. 

The Democratic-controlled New York Legislature passed its own congressional map on Wednesday, receiving some support from Republican lawmakers as well. Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) signed it into law later that day.

The map offers a slight boost to Rep. Nick LaLota’s (R) seat in the 1st Congressional District, changing it from one that President Biden would have barely won in 2020 to one that now edges toward former President Trump, according to analysts.  

Rep. Tom Suozzi’s (D) seat in the 3rd Congressional District and Rep. Pat Ryan’s (D) in the 18th both tilt more Democratic under the new map, while Rep. Brandon Williams (R) faces more challenging terrain in the 22nd — a district that previously went for Biden by 7 points but has shifted to one that might have gone to the president by as many as 11 points.  

The map now heads to Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) for her signature. 

“Today, the state legislature has adopted a bipartisan congressional map that more meaningfully delivers the type of fair representation that the people of New York State deserve,” said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), who applauded the new map in a statement. 

“This map reunites several communities of interest, reduces the number of counties, towns and villages that are split and promotes compact congressional districts,” he added. “For these reasons, New Yorkers from every walk of life, race, region, religion, ethnicity, socioeconomic status and ZIP code can now more fairly determine who should represent them in Congress.” 

Former Rep. John Faso (R-N.Y.) said Republicans would not be challenging the maps.

“No challenge,” Faso told The Hill in a text message. “These maps are not materially different from those prepared by the special master as a result of our court victory against the [Democratic] gerrymander.”

New Yorkers went through tumultuous redistricting last cycle when the Independent Redistricting Commission (IRC) deadlocked on offering a set of proposed congressional lines, prompting the Democratic-controlled state Legislature to create their own. While the House map was signed into law by Hochul, it was later struck down by a court, which appointed a special master to create their own House map.  

The special master’s map ultimately resulted in Republicans winning a handful of seats, helping to create the GOP’s narrow House majority.  

Democrats won a lawsuit in December allowing the IRC to receive a second opportunity to redraw those House lines after suffering bruising losses in the state during the midterms, but the lawmakers eventually rejected its map in favor of the one passed Wednesday.

Both parties see New York as key to winning the House.