Despite the Independent Redistricting Commission having approved a new map on February 15 in a 9-1 vote, as previously reported by Rockland Daily here, the New York State Legislature voted today to reject the new congressional map drafted by the state’s bipartisan 10-person commission. 

"While today's news is not positive, it's a hurdle that needs to be overcome, and hopefully, the court will keep the Progressives in check," New York Senator Bill Weber shares exclusively with Rockland Daily. "Progressives have no shame and will do anything to gerrymander the maps. It's a setback for sure, but not a death sentence. Rockland County needs Congressman Mike Lawler!"

With New York Democrats having supermajorities in both chambers, the failure was not a complete surprise. The rejection in the New York State Assembly and Senate now allows Democrats to draw their own more favorable congressional district boundaries that will improve the party’s chances of retaking the four House seats lost in 2022 and controlling the U.S. House of Representatives next year.

"As the old adage goes, power corrupts; absolute power corrupts, absolutely,” Congressman Mike Lawler states. “The rejection of the bipartisan NYIRC map is another attempt by Washington and Albany Democrats to thwart the will of the voters and engage in another unconstitutional gerrymander. For a party that claims they want to protect democracy and put people over politics, they sure have a funny way of showing it."

Legislators will need to limit changes they try to make to the Independent Redistricting Commission map to no more than 2%. That means no more than 15,000 people per district can be shifted according to law.