A stunning decision by an obscure court late Thursday afternoon threw out the present lines of New York's 26 U.S. House districts and ordered the Empire State's Independent Redistricting Commission (IRC) — which failed to draw lines in 2021— to redraw the present lines for 2024.
To observers on both side of the political spectrum, the ruling by the State Supreme Court's Appellate Division of the 3rd Judicial Department could easily spell the turnover of the four U.S. House seats that flipped from Democrat to Republican in New York last year.
With the House now in Republican hands by the tightest margin (221 Republicans to 214 Democrats) since 1930, a redrawn map of New York could easily tip four seats back to Democratic hands and thus give Democrats control of the House (coincidentally, with New Yorker and Democratic Rep. Hakeem Jeffries wielding the speaker's gavel).
"A highly partisan decision from this mid-level Appeals Court well known for its Democratic political leanings was predictable," said New York Conservative Party Chairman Gerard Kassar hours after the latest ruling became public. Kassar's smaller party and its "Row C" on the state ballot line provided the extra votes needed for Republican House hopefuls to pick up the critical four House seats that gave the GOP narrow control of the House.
Two years ago, the IRC's initial map of the U.S. House districts was tossed out in court and it could not decided on a second map.
Then the Democratic-controlled state Legislature cobbled together a map with new district lines, but it was rejected by the New York Court of Appeals (the highest court in the state). This forced the appointment of a special master, who drew the lines that were used in the November elections.
Led by Justice Peter Lynch, the majority on the court considering the current maps ruled that the IRC "failed to perform this duty" (drawing congressional district lines) that is prescribed in the state Constitution and ordered it to "commence its duties forthwith."
Three dissenting justices countered that the redistricting process should not occur again and the next drawing of U.S. House district lines should be after the 2030 census.
Democrats began voicing hope that this ruling — if upheld on appeal — would give them the seats they need to retake the House. Many Republicans voiced their uncertainty. But the Conservative Party's Kasar was positive.
"On to the state's highest court," he told us. "But regardless of where that takes us, New York voters have tired of woke Democratic policies that have given us dangerous streets, a sour economy and an embarrassing foreign policy. We win on issues, the Dems depend on political shenanigans. I continue to expect that 2024 will be a good year."
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.