Supreme Court Retains GOP District in NY, Giving Republicans Midterms Win

The Supreme Court on Monday said it would keep New York’s current congressional map in place, temporarily blocking a lower court ruling that had found the map violated the Constitution by diluting the voting power of Black and Latino residents.

The unsigned emergency order did not include a vote count or written reasoning, which is typical for decisions issued on the court’s emergency docket. The decision allows the existing map to remain in place while appeals continue, making it likely the map will be used in the upcoming midterm elections, the New York Times

The ruling was a victory for Republicans and could help them retain control of a closely divided House of Representatives.

Representative Nicole Malliotakis, a Republican whose district includes Staten Island and parts of southern Brooklyn, filed the emergency application after a state judge ordered her district to be redrawn.

In a statement, Malliotakis said the justices had “stopped the voters on Staten Island and in southern Brooklyn from being stripped of their ability to elect a representative who reflects their values.”

The case centers on New York’s 11th Congressional District, the only district in New York City currently held by a Republican.

The dispute is one of several mid-cycle redistricting battles that have reached the Supreme Court after President Donald Trump encouraged Republicans to pursue map changes that could strengthen the party’s position in Congress.

Texas redrew its congressional map, and California voters approved a ballot measure revising that state’s map in a way that favored Democrats.

In both instances, legal challenges were brought to the Supreme Court, and the justices allowed the new maps to be used for the midterms.

The New York case also unfolds as the court considers a separate voting rights dispute, Louisiana v. Callais, involving the creation of a second majority minority district in Louisiana.

A ruling in that case could have broader implications for congressional maps nationwide.

In the New York matter, the court’s three liberal justices dissented.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor, joined by Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson, wrote in a 13-page dissent that the court had inserted itself into election law disputes during an active redistricting cycle.

“By granting these applications, the court thrusts itself into the middle of every election law dispute around the country, even as man

y states redraw their congressional maps ahead of the 2026 election,” Sotomayor wrote.

She warned that the decision could prompt more emergency appeals “without even bothering to ask the state courts first.”

Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr., writing in concurrence, said he supported blocking the lower court’s order.

He wrote that the lower court had engaged in “blatantly discriminated on the basis of race,” calling it “unadorned racial discrimination” that violated the Constitution.

The legal challenge began last October when four New Yorkers sued over the district held by Malliotakis.

The lawsuit was filed by the Elias Law Group, which has represented Democratic interests in redistricting cases.

In January, Manhattan Justice Jeffrey H. Pearlman ruled that the 2024 map showed a pattern of discrimination against minority voters and ordered the state to reconvene its Independent Redistricting Commission.

Pearlman previously served as special counsel to Governor Kathy Hochul.

Malliotakis filed her emergency application on Feb. 12 to Justice Sotomayor, who handles emergency matters from that region.

Court filings show that the Black and Latino population in the 11th District has grown to about 30 percent, up from 11 percent over the past four decades.

Despite that demographic shift, the district has become more conservative.

It was the only New York City district won by Donald Trump in 2016, and in 2020, he carried it over Joseph R. Biden Jr. by 24 percentage points.

That same year, Malliotakis defeated incumbent Democrat Max Rose.

Fetterman Only Dem Who Opposed Party’s Iran ‘War Powers’ Push

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The bipartisan consensus on U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East saw a rare alignment on Wednesday as Senator John Fetterman joined Republicans to reject a Democrat-led attempt to limit the President's war powers. While his colleagues argued for constitutional oversight, Fetterman adopted a hardline stance, urging the military to continue its pursuit of the Iranian leadership.

Fetterman’s "Peace Through Elimination" Stance

Appearing on CNN, Fetterman dismissed the need for a ceasefire or legislative restraint. "Just keep killing them until they’re gone," he told Kate Bolduan, referring to the remnants of the Iranian regime.

Targeting Successors: Fetterman argued that strikes should continue until Iran selects a leader who chooses to "coexist in peace" and stops attempting to "destroy Israel."
Nuclear Ambitions: He characterized the destruction of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure as "entirely appropriate," especially following reports that Tehran had hidden enough uranium for 11 nuclear bombs from international monitors.

The Successor Hunt: Mojtaba Khamenei

The vote occurred amid chaotic reports from Tehran regarding the Assembly of Experts.

The Assembly Strike: An Israeli airstrike reportedly struck the building where officials were meeting to vote on a successor to the late Ayatollah.
Mojtaba Khamenei: While international reports suggest Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba, was chosen on Tuesday, Iranian state media has yet to confirm the appointment.
Israel’s Warning: Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a chilling ultimatum on X, stating that any new leader—regardless of name or location—is an "unequivocal target for elimination."

The "Regime Change" Debate

A rift has emerged between U.S. and Israeli objectives regarding the final outcome of the conflict:

The Israeli Goal: Defense Minister Katz explicitly stated that "crushing the regime's capabilities" is intended to create conditions for the Iranian people to overthrow the government.

The U.S. Goal: While President Trump has encouraged Iranians to "take over" their government, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have maintained that the mission is strictly limited to eliminating nuclear and missile threats, not "nation-building."

Senate Dynamics

The resolution’s failure was expected given the GOP's near-unanimous support for the war. However, the vote was notable for its outliers: Fetterman was the only Democrat to oppose it, while Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) was the only Republican to support it. Pennsylvania’s junior senator, Dave McCormack (R), also voted against the resolution, aligning with the Trump administration’s assertion that the mission must remain "unabated" to prevent an even more extreme successor from taking power.