Daijiworld Media Network – North Carolina

North Carolina, Nov 27: In a significant boost to Republicans ahead of next year’s midterm elections, a federal court in North Carolina has allowed the state to use a newly drawn congressional map that is expected to help the GOP secure an additional House seat.

A three-judge panel of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina on Wednesday unanimously rejected requests for a preliminary injunction filed in two lawsuits challenging the map. The petitioners had argued that the new boundaries diluted the voting power of Black voters in violation of the 14th Amendment.

The court, however, ruled that there was “no direct evidence” to prove that the Legislature acted with racially discriminatory intent. Instead, the judges noted that the available evidence showed the 2025 redistricting effort was driven primarily by partisan motivations, which the U.S. Supreme Court has deemed permissible. In a landmark 2019 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that partisan gerrymandering claims were political questions beyond the jurisdiction of federal courts.

The Republican-controlled Legislature approved the new map last month, with the intention of expanding the party’s hold in the U.S. House. North Carolina Governor Josh Stein, a Democrat, does not have the authority to veto redistricting plans, giving the GOP full control of the process.

Central to the challenge were changes made to North Carolina’s 1st Congressional District, a seat held by Democrat Don Davis of the Congressional Black Caucus. The district, narrowly won by former President Donald Trump in 2024, is viewed as a key Republican pickup opportunity under the new boundaries.

Responding to the court’s decision, Davis said that while the ruling keeps North Carolina at the forefront of the national redistricting debate, he will continue prioritising the needs of families in eastern North Carolina.

“We will not let these blatant power grabs silence the voices of eastern North Carolinians,” he said.

With the new map in effect, Republicans now stand to strengthen their hold on North Carolina’s congressional delegation, where they already control 10 of the state’s 14 seats.