The U.S. Supreme Court refused to reinstate Colorado congressional districts redrawn by Republican lawmakers last year after they gained control of all three branches of state government.The late redistricting in both Colorado and Texas are similar in that both 2001 maps were drawn by the courts instead of by the legislature. Now the map drawn by the elected representatives of Colorado has been tossed out...by another court.The justices declined to second-guess the Colorado Supreme Court's decision throwing out the new map on grounds the state constitution allows only one redistricting after each census. Today's action leaves in place a congressional map drawn in 2001 by a court after the legislature, at the time split between Democratic and Republican control, couldn't agree on a plan.
Colorado and Texas are embroiled in legal fights over congressional districts adopted last year by new Republican legislative majorities seeking to boost their party's lead in the U.S. House of Representatives. With elections this November, Republicans hold 228 House seats and Democrats have 205 with one independent and one vacancy.
Although I do not know the specific differences between the Colorado situation vs. that here in Texas, this cannot be a promising precident for the upcoming appeal over the Texas redistricting. This is definitely something to keep an eye on.
