New York panel sends proposed congressional map to Statehouse for approval

A bipartisan commission in New York voted overwhelmingly Thursday to send a proposed congressional map to the Democratic-controlled state Legislature for approval. 

The Independent Redistricting Commission voted 9-1 to send the proposed congressional lines to the New York state Legislature for approval. The map, which is largely similar to the congressional map that was implemented last cycle, will aid Democrats in two districts and help Republicans in one.

The map would boost Rep. Pat Ryan (D-N.Y.) in the 18th Congressional District and Rep. Marc Molinaro (R-N.Y.) in the 19th Congressional District. For Ryan, his seat would move from being a seat that President Biden would have won in 2020 by roughly 8.5 points to one that Biden would have won by more than 11 points. 

For Molinaro, his seat would tilt more Republican, going from a seat that Biden won by 4.6 points in 2020 to one that the president would have only won by roughly 1.5 points.  

The new lines hurt Rep. Brandon Williams (R-N.Y.) in the 22nd Congressional District. With the changes, his seat goes from one that had gone for Biden in 2020 by close to 7.5 points to one the president would have won by more than 11 points.  

The map needs to be passed by the state Legislature and signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) before it becomes law.  

The commission was required to submit new maps to the state Legislature after Democrats won a lawsuit in December, with the New York Court of Appeals ordering the bipartisan commission to offer new lines to state lawmakers after the redistricting process was derailed during the 2022 cycle. 

The commission was unable to reach a consensus during the midterm cycle on a set of maps, with the Democratic-controlled state Legislature submitting maps of its own that were later signed by Hochul.  

However, those maps were later tossed out, and a court-appointed special master was ordered to draw the congressional lines instead, creating a slew of competitive House seats that a handful of Republicans won.  

Democrats and Republicans alike see New York as a critical state in helping determine their majority in the House heading into this fall.