Judges in Pennsylvania and North Carolina handed down new congressional maps on Wednesday that will affect the layout of 31 congressional seats, finalizing district lines in one state and inching closer to resolution in the other.
In Pennsylvania, the state Supreme Court adopted a map that made few changes to the current districts but erased one Republican-held seat, while in North Carolina, a panel of judges adopted a map drawn by a special master that would likely split the congressional delegation evenly, a big boost for Democrats, who currently hold five out of 13 seats.
The North Carolina order would make bigger changes to the makeup of the House, but it may not be enacted: Republican lawmakers in North Carolina quickly announced they’d appeal the new maps to the state Supreme Court. If left in place, both maps look set to draw a pair of GOP congressmen into the same district in each state, kicking off expensive primary fights.
Concerns about an extended conflict, the mounting U.S. death toll and a perceived lack of clarity...
