New York lawmakers approve congressional map that could help Democrats flip three seats

The New York State legislature has passed a new congressional map that could help Democrats flip as many as three House seats. 

The map, which was expected to pass in the Democratic-majority legislature, will now head to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s (D) desk for her signature. 

While New York is slated to lose a congressional seat as a result of population decline, the map favors Democrats in 22 House districts and Republicans in four. New York’s congressional delegation is currently made up of 19 Democrats and eight Republicans. 

Under the newly drawn lines, Reps. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.) and Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.) see their districts become more Democratic. Meanwhile, in upstate New York, the map eliminates Rep. Claudia Tenney’s  (R-N.Y.) district, moving much of the population to Rep. Antonio Delgado‘s (D-N.Y.) district and giving Democrats an upper hand. 

The map was originally proposed by New York Democrats over the weekend after the state’s bipartisan redistricting commission was unable to come up with new map lines. 

Republicans have slammed the maps, calling them an attempt for Democrats to keep their majority in the House in November. 

Democrats hold a five-seat majority in the House of Representatives and Republicans appear poised to take back control in November.

“These maps are the most brazen and outrageous attempt at rigging the election to keep Nancy Pelosi as Speaker. Voters spoke loud and clear in rejecting their partisan power grab last year and in 2014, but Democrats are circumventing the will of the people,” New York’s Republican Party Chairman Nick Langworthy said in a statement earlier this week.