The ruling means a new map drawn by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court will very likely be in effect in this year’s elections, setting the stage for possible gains by Democrats. Under the current map, Republicans hold 12 seats while Democrats hold five and are expected to pick up another when the result of a special election last week is certified. The latest application was denied by the full Supreme Court without comment or noted dissents. In a terse ruling in January, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court struck down the state’s congressional map, saying that it “clearly, plainly and palpably” violated the state’s Constitution. The state court imposed a new map, prepared with the help of Nathaniel Persily, a Stanford law professor and an expert in legislative districting.

Source: New York Times March 19, 2018 21:00 UTC