Wisconsin Court Dismisses Democrats’ Redistricting Lawsuit
MADISON, Wis. — A lawsuit aimed at redrawing Wisconsin’s congressional districts, which have been described as Republican-leaning, was dismissed by a three-judge panel. This decision affects attempts to alter district lines before the upcoming November midterm elections.
Democratic voters, who filed the lawsuit, have the option to appeal to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, which currently holds a liberal majority. However, the timing of any potential ruling remains uncertain for the 2023 election. A separate lawsuit with similar intentions is on the docket for April 2027.
These legal challenges occur as former President Donald Trump engages in national efforts to maintain the Republican Party’s hold on the House majority.
The panel stated it found no grounds for invalidating the existing congressional map. Only the state Supreme Court has the authority to mandate redrawing of these maps, the judges clarified. The panel emphasized that their decision does not imply approval of the existing district lines.
“We, as circuit court judges, do not have the authority to read into a Wisconsin Supreme Court case an analysis that it does not contain,” the judges noted, while expressing readiness to assist in any future inquiries ordered by the state Supreme Court.
Republican representatives welcomed the ruling. “This is a significant win for Republicans and yet another blow to desperate Democrats who wanted to reshape the electoral landscape,” stated Zach Bannon, spokesperson for the National Republican Congressional Committee.
Previously, the Wisconsin Supreme Court directed the three-judge panel to initially hear such redistricting cases, despite Republican objections. This decision marked a first under a 2011 law spearheaded by Republicans.
The dismissed case argued that the current maps unfairly favor Republicans by clustering Democrats into two districts while dispersing remaining Democratic areas across predominantly Republican districts. Allegations also included a breach of constitutional power separation by the state Supreme Court when it adopted the existing map.
Reflecting on historical context, Democrats held a majority of five seats to Republicans’ three before the 2010 redistricting. Now, Republicans hold six out of eight seats, with only two being competitive.
The current maps, derived from the 2010 redistricting, were approved by a conservatively-leaning state Supreme Court. In March 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to halt their implementation.
Democrats are targeting the 3rd District in western Wisconsin, now represented by Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden following the retirement of Democrat Ron Kind. They also aim to make southeastern Wisconsin’s 1st District more competitive, currently held by Republican Rep. Bryan Steil.
The lawsuit was filed by Elias Law Group on behalf of 11 voters. Neither the law firm nor attorneys for the Republican congressional members who sought the dismissal provided immediate comments.
The upcoming lawsuit set for trial involves a bipartisan coalition of business leaders, who argue that the maps create an unconstitutional, anti-competitive gerrymander. They note a median victory margin of nearly 30 percentage points across the districts since the maps’ implementation.
Read more about the lawsuit dismissal.
Details on the second pending lawsuit.
Trump’s national redistricting battle.
