NY lawmakers approve new congressional maps

NEW YORK - The Democratic-controlled New York Legislature on Wednesday voted to approve new congressional district maps that will expand Democrats' power for years to come.

The Senate voted 43-20 on party lines to pass the congressional maps. The Assembly passed the bill with a 103-45 vote, which is largely along party lines.

Based on the 2020 Census, New York will lose one seat in the U.S. House of Representatives — from 27 seats to 26. The new district maps would give Democrats a strong majority of registered voters in 22 of those 26 districts. 

Republicans now hold eight of the state's 27 seats. They are expected to fight the maps in court, according to New York Republican Party Chairman Nick Langworthy. 

"It's blatant gerrymandering, it's hyper-partisan and the people of this state need to reject it," Langworthy said last week. "We're going to go to court by any means necessary to try to bring that to justice."

With The Associated Press.

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