Reactions: U.S. Supreme Court Upholds Pa.’s New Congressional Map
It’s a major win for Democrats, who (along with the Pa. Supreme Court) say the state’s former boundaries gave Republicans an unfair advantage.
The new congressional boundaries imposed by the state Supreme Court in February.
Pennsylvania’s new congressional district map is now official.
The U.S. Supreme Court and federal district judges in Pennsylvania on Monday both rejected Republicans’ attempts to block the new map ahead of the May 15th primary.
It’s a major win for Democrats, who could see a boost with the recently adopted boundaries. The new maps comes after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in January declared the state’s former Congressional map (drawn by a GOP-dominated state legislature in 2011) an unfair, partisan and unconstitutional gerrymander, following a lawsuit filed by the Pennsylvania League of Women voters.
A number of lawmakers (such as Republican Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati and House Speaker Mike Turzai, as well as some Democrats) had unsuccessfully proposed new boundaries. After the Pa. Supreme Court imposed its own new map in February, Republican legislative leaders sought to block it.
The most recent decision comes one day before congressional candidates are required to file nominating petitions for the upcoming primary.
Here are reactions from parties, lawmakers, officials and political organizations across the state.
Gov. Tom Wolf (D)
Thanks to two court decisions today, Pennsylvania now has a fair congressional map. This is great news for our democracy — we can now move forward from the days of partisan gerrymandering and ensure that Pennsylvania voters are heard at the polls. pic.twitter.com/83fOryUX1j
— Governor Josh Shapiro (@GovernorShapiro) March 19, 2018
.@PAStateDept has been working proactively to oversee an orderly transition to the new congressional map and will continue to assist counties, voters, and candidates through this process to ensure we have a smooth election in May.
— Governor Josh Shapiro (@GovernorShapiro) March 19, 2018
Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati, Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman, and Senator Mike Folmer (R)
— Joe Scarnati (@JoeScarnati) March 19, 2018
Steve Miskin, spokesman for House Republicans
Yes… and too bad the people of Pennsylvania never had the opportunity to be represented with this new politically gerrymandered map. https://t.co/iEqRnGkDHc
— Stephen A. Miskin (@Sam1963) March 19, 2018
So you are at the point where the "ends justify the means?"
While we disagree with the Court throwing out the 2011 map, they did. The unconstitutional part, which SCOTUS did NOT opine, nor asked to, is the PA Court's power grab to draw a Democrat gerrymandered map. https://t.co/vLyrprr3uD— Stephen A. Miskin (@Sam1963) March 19, 2018
Public hearings and public comment. How the organization leadership supports a process of the Supreme Court using a California college professor to draw maps, refuse to allow even questions from the media be answered, and shoving it on everyone w/o any outreach is telling. https://t.co/7eVVSgKM1Z
— Stephen A. Miskin (@Sam1963) March 20, 2018
Pennsylvania League of Women Voters
After today's decisions from #SCOTUS and federal district court, the 2018 map is THE map. Our statement: https://t.co/R4wljNMU4k #gerrymandering #victoryforvoters #democracy
— Public Interest Law Center (@PubIntLawCtr) March 19, 2018
U.S. Supreme Court will not Stay PA 2018 Congressional Map. All original lawsuit ever sought was a fair shot for all voters – for the system not to be rigged – & these elected officials fought it kicking and screaming every step of the way.
Next: reform? https://t.co/H73oVlXWdg— League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania (@LWVPA) March 19, 2018
This has been a long time coming.
PA list of #Gerrymandering lawsuits is long & ugly.
Attempts for reform blocked by leadership in past 3 decades.
We'd like to think we're moving toward real reform.
We've been waiting a very long time.
And still waiting pic.twitter.com/HTzBQwsj4q— League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania (@LWVPA) March 19, 2018
Pa. Attorney General Josh Shapiro (D)
The rule of law isn’t a partisan matter. Now, it’s up to the voters of Pennsylvania to choose who represents them in Washington, DC. https://t.co/nMt4THB3Zx
— Josh Shapiro (@JoshShapiroPA) March 19, 2018
