North Carolina Politics for Dummies: A Congressional Map Made By Republicans For Republicans
Becca Boynton | November 1, 2023
On Oct. 25, 2020, North Carolina Republicans approved a new congressional map for the state. This map now gives Republicans a great advantage in NC politics and will likely dismiss current Democratic representatives for the state. However, many are pointing out the blatant gerrymandering exhibited within the new map.
The map gives Republicans ten solid districts within the state, whereas Democrats have just three. This new congressional map gives Republicans solid ground in the already red-leaning state. The 2022 map gives each party seven seats to hold, which may now be under threat.
Democratic leaders have been drawn off the new map. NC Representatives Jeff Jackson, Kathy Manning and Wiley Nickel have all been written off the now-authorized congressional map.
Despite the state being nearly divided evenly between Republican, Democrat and unaffiliated, Republican representatives are fighting to ensure a veto-proof majority for the next several years. With this new map, they are one step closer to achieving their goal.
Although the map has been called out for gerrymandering, both the U.S. Supreme Court and NC Supreme Court voted previously that partisan gerrymandering is allowed, meaning redistricting in favor of one party is lawful.
The map is a large step in the NC Republican Party leadership’s plan to establish the state as red, like Florida and Texas. Democratic NC Governor Roy Cooper is unable to veto any Republican bills passed due to the veto-proof majority Republican lawmakers secured earlier this year, giving their new map ample opportunity to become established.
NC as a state is slowly evolving from purple to red. Republican lawmakers have written off three Democratic representatives and show no plan to stop soon.