GOP vows to fight ruling on North Carolina House districts

By GARY D. ROBERTSON and JONATHAN DREW
Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) – A federal court’s decision to strike down North Carolina’s congressional map has cast uncertainty over the state’s 2018 U.S. House races and thrust the state into a national debate over reducing the role of partisanship in drawing electoral districts.

The state’s Republican leaders have vowed to seek a delay to the court’s order that they draw new district lines in the coming weeks. Because partisan gerrymandering cases from other states are before the U.S. Supreme Court, the justices may postpone the effect of the North Carolina ruling.

Either way, Tuesday’s decision is expected to affect congressional elections. New maps would send candidates scrambling and could create a more favorable environment for Democrats. But even if the redrawing is postponed, a political scientist says resentment of “greedy” Republican maps could aid left-leaning candidates.

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