New York’s House District Map is Out and Democrats Can’t Be Happy
The court appointed neutral special master charged with redrawing New York's House and NYS Senate maps released a draft version of his revised Congressional map on Monday.
The makeup of the proposed map doesn't come as a surprise to Central New Yorkers who expected the possibility that Oneida and Herkimer Counties would lose their independence, and be split up into separate districts. The new map places Oneida County, including Utica and Rome, with the more populated Syracuse in the 22nd Congressional District, and Herkimer County and parts of Otsego County with the 21st Congressional District with Rep. Elise Stefanik in the North Country region.
The new map would most likely mean Representative Claudia Tenney of New Hartford (NY-22) would continue her plans to run in the southern tier's 23rd congressional district which leans Republican. Tenney has already been endorsed by former President Donald Trump in that district, which runs from the Finger Lakes to the southern state border, and west over to Buffalo. The new 22nd, including Utica, Rome, New Hartford, and Syracuse is favorable to Democrats and makes Syracuse the dominant population center.
Jonathan Cervas delivered the House map Monday morning to NY Supreme Court in Steuben County. The draft is now open for a short period of public comment before Judge Patrick McAllister's final decision comes before Memorial Day. The House map, and the NY Senate map are due this Friday, May 20th.
The new map, provided here by Dave's Redistricting comes much to the dismay of Democrats who under the previous map signed by Governor Kathy Hochul, gave Dems the advantage in 23 of the 26 House districts. This new map from Cervas was drawn in a way that makes for 8 competitive races that could go either way in November's mid-term election. Experts say this could have national implications for Democrats as they try to hold on to control of the House of Representatives in the midst of high prices, a looming recession and a Democratic President with a low favorability rating.
The independent master, Jonathan Cervas is with the Institute of Politics and Strategy and is considered an expert in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and has worked as an assistant to a federal court Special Master in drawing remedial maps in redistricting cases involving minority rights.
The redrawn New York State Senate map is due by this Friday, and could be delivered to the court as early as Tuesday.