Court picks Alabama congressional map likely to mean Democratic gain
A three-judge federal court has ordered the state of Alabama to redraw its congressional map, a decision that is likely to result in a Democratic gain in the delegation. The map, which currently sends six Republicans and one Democrat to the US House of Representatives, was ruled to be unconstitutionally gerrymandered by the panel. The court opted for a map that would keep seven districts of reasonable equal population but would increase the likelihood of competitive races. The decision arrives ahead of the 2020 election season and could shift the race for control of Congress closer to a 50-50 split between Democrats and Republicans. Critics of the current map argue that it is greatly disproportionate and heavily favors Republicans. The new map is expected to be much more favorable to Democrats, and even potential Republican candidates are cheering its approval.