The U.S. Supreme Court gave a potential boost to Republican hopes of retaining control of Congress in November's elections, siding on Monday with a Republican lawmaker in a dispute over the makeup of the only congressional district in New York City held by a member of President Donald Trump's party.
The court, in an unsigned order, granted a request by U.S. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, who is running for reelection, to revive the boundaries of her Staten Island-based U.S. House district after a judge blocked the district’s geographic boundaries as racially discriminatory.
The Supreme Court has a 6-3 conservative majority. Justice Samuel Alito wrote in support of Monday's ruling.
The court's three liberal justices dissented, faulting the majority for ruling in a manner that "thrusts itself into the middle of every election-law dispute around the country, even as many states redraw their congressional maps ahead of the 2026 election."
Republicans are seeking to retain control of both chambers of Congress in the midterm elections, and Malliotakis’ ability to win reelection could be crucial for her party.
Republicans hold a narrow 218-214 majority in the House, raising the stakes for every seat in the midterms. Ceding control of either the House or Senate to Democrats would imperil Trump’s legislative agenda and open the door to Democratic-led congressional investigations targeting him and his administration.
New York Supreme Court Justice Jeffrey Pearlman ruled in January that the configuration of the disputed district illegally diluted the power of Latino and Black voters, prompting appeals by Malliotakis and members of the state Board of Elections.
The dispute arose from a lawsuit brought by a group of Staten Island-based voters backed by lawyer Marc Elias, a prominent advocate for Democratic electoral interests.
It was the latest case involving congressional districts on which the Supreme Court has acted.
Redrawing the boundaries of electoral districts in a state is a process called redistricting, and an escalating battle has unfolded as states reconfigure their districts and the parties seek any possible advantage in the midterms.
The Supreme Court on Dec. 4 revived a redrawn Texas electoral map designed to flip as many as five Democratic-held U.S. House seats to Republicans in the midterms after Trump urged Texas Republicans to take the step. The justices on Feb. 4 then allowed California to use a new electoral map designed to give Democrats five more congressional seats in the midterms.
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