A new congressional map drawn by New York Democrats would make key changes on Long Island and in central New York that could help the party in its efforts to win control of the U.S. House of Representatives later this year — but some key Republicans said they were bracing for worse.
The state Legislature’s Democratic majorities introduced a bill late Monday that lays out proposed boundaries for New York’s 26 congressional districts, a day after it rejected a bipartisan commission’s compromise proposal.
The Democrats’ proposal, introduced just before midnight, would make few tweaks to New York City’s congressional districts. Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis’ seat in Staten Island and Brooklyn, which Democrats have long targeted, would be left alone.
But Democratic Rep.-elect Tom Suozzi’s Queens and Nassau County district would extend eastward, dipping into Suffolk County to pick up Democratic turf while ceding some redder areas of Nassau to Republican Rep. Andrew Garbarino’s district.
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (D-Bronx) said the lawmakers’ map was based on keeping “communities of interest” intact within districts — not to benefit a candidate or party.
“We are not allowed to draw lines with political considerations in mind,” Heastie told reporters Tuesday.
Republican lawmakers, meanwhile, were bracing for significant changes to the map after Democrats led a successful court battle last year to force new districts, and the party had been threatening an anti-gerrymandering lawsuit for months. But on Tuesday, state Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay, a Republican, said the state’s GOP congressional delegation “are not upset with the maps.”
Rep. Mike Lawler, a Hudson Valley Republican facing a challenge from former Democratic Rep. Mondaire Jones, echoed the sentiment.
“I think it is unfortunate that it came to this and it was unnecessary, as I think the current map is fair and provides voters with competitive districts,” Lawler told Gothamist….
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