President Trump Tuesday urged Republicans in Pennsylvania to challenge the newly approved Congressional map.
The president said GOP lawmakers in the state should take the case “all the way to the Supreme Court, if necessary.”
“Hope Republicans in the Great State of Pennsylvania challenge the new ‘pushed’ Congressional Map, all the way to the Supreme Court, if necessary,” Trump posted on Twitter. “Your Original was correct! Don’t let the Dems take elections away from you so that they can raise taxes & waste money!”
Hope Republicans in the Great State of Pennsylvania challenge the new “pushed” Congressional Map, all the way to the Supreme Court, if necessary. Your Original was correct! Don’t let the Dems take elections away from you so that they can raise taxes & waste money!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 20, 2018
The newly drawn Congressional map, ordered to be redrawn due to severely gerrymandered districts, favors Democrats and could see voters push out some Pennsylvania GOP lawmakers in the House come election time.
Republicans are expected to challenge the newly-drawn map in court in the coming days and weeks ahead of the 2018 midterms, where Pennsylvania Republicans are expected to lose multiple members to retirements. They are also fighting in western Pennsylvania weeks ahead of the special election between Republican Rick Saccone and Democrat Conor Lamb to replace former Rep. Tim Murphy.
The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) also weighed in on Tuesday, intimating that they support legal action to prevent the map from taking hold in 2018.
“State and federal GOP officials will sue in federal court as soon as tomorrow to prevent the new partisan map from taking effect,” said Matt Gorman, an NRCC spokesperson. “The suit will highlight the state supreme court’s rushed decision that created chaos, confusion, and unnecessary expense in the 2018 election cycle.”
The old map, which was challenged, was drawn by Republicans in 2011.
Reporter Al Weaver contributed to this story.
