House Democrats prep for years of redistricting hardball after court losses

"Several Democratic states, including New York, have been hindered by their adoption of independent redistricting commissions and other processes meant to take partisan considerations out of the drawing of congressional lines. Now Democratic leaders are openly discussing overriding those safeguards."

"The U-turn was already underway, but it was cemented in recent weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court reinterpreted the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to allow states to eliminate majority-minority districts. Then the Virginia Supreme Court moved last week to invalidate a recent voter referendum paving the way for a Democrat-friendly map."

""All options should be on the table," Rep. Ted Lieu (R-Calif.) told reporters Wednesday. "And other states that have redistricting commissions should be prepared to have conversations with their legislature and their voters in response to what we're seeing in the South. And I think all of that is completely fair.""

"Rep. Johnny Olszewski (D-Md.), who has introduced legislation to term-limit the justices, said in an interview that the ruling was "a straw that broke the camel's back." And Rep. Sean Casten (D-Ill.) said there are tools to "kneecap" the Supreme Court that Congress has never used, such as stripping their power to review lower court rulings."

Democratic positions on redistricting and election rules are changing after Supreme Court and state court actions. The Supreme Court reinterpreted the Voting Rights Act to permit states to remove majority-minority districts. A Virginia Supreme Court decision invalidated a voter referendum that would have enabled a Democrat-friendly congressional map. Democratic states that adopted independent redistricting commissions and other procedures to reduce partisan influence are now facing constraints on their ability to draw favorable districts. Democratic leaders are discussing overriding those safeguards and engaging legislatures and voters in response to developments in the South. Some House Democrats are also seeking to remake the Supreme Court, including proposals to term-limit justices or reduce their authority to review lower court rulings.

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