Delco GOP mulls next move on congressional map challenge

Delaware County Republican leaders have postponed a nominations committee meeting they had planned to hold Tuesday evening for one week in light of the shifting lines of the state’s congressional districts.

What once was the 7th District in Pennsylvania is on track to become the 5th District, encompassing Delaware County and a part of south Philadelphia and Montgomery County.

The districts have been at the forefront of a judicial battle as a group of registered Democratic voters sued, claiming he districts were gerrymandered when they were redrawn in 2011. The case made its way to the Democratic-controlled state Supreme Court that agreed with the claim and ordered the districts redrawn.

Republican legislative leaders presented a new map but it was rejected by Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf. The Supreme Court said if the governor and the Legislature couldn’t come to an agreement, it would have its own expert, Stanford University law professor Nathaniel Persily, redo the map.

On Monday, the court adopted the Persily plan, with Democrats applauding the measure and Republicans opposing it. Republicans anticipate challenging the most recent version in federal court as a violation of the separation of powers.

“Not knowing exactly where the district is, it’s almost impossible to hold a nominations meeting,” Delaware County Republican Chairman Andrew Reilly said Tuesday, adding that it is scheduled for Feb. 27 at this point.

Among those seeking the GOP endorsement: Joe Billie, a veteran and volunteer firefighter from Aston; attorney Jeremy H. Gonzalez Ibrahim of Chester County; former state Attorney General senior deputy counsel Pearl Kim of Radnor; tax attorney Greg McCauley of Chadds Ford; former Assistant U.S. Attorney Clare Putnam Pozos of Radnor and Haverford developer Wally Smerconish.

The case has drawn national attention.

Val DiGiorgio, chairman of the Pennsylvania Republican Party, called out the Supreme Court and looked to Cook Political ratings, showing Democrats gaining at least one more seat in Congress based on the most recent configuration.

“In a shameful display of partisanship, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court drew and released a new congressional map,” DiGiorgio said. “This map constitutes a new standard for judicial activism, unquestionably is a violation of separation of powers, and is a sad day for the commonwealth and the state and federal constitutions. This power grab is an affront to over 200 years of precedent and nothing short of judicial-mandering.

“Make no mistake,” DiGiorgio continued, “this is a partisan gerrymandering and power grab by Democrat (sic) Party operatives hiding behind robes. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court, by acting as judge, executive and Legislature,

has trampled on the concept of separation of powers and violated the Pennsylvania and U.S. constitutions.”

He said these actions will result in “unnecessary chaos and confusion,” impacting candidates and hundreds of thousands of residents – all in an attempt to dilute Republican voters.

“One can only conclude the Democrats have done with their maps the very thing they sought to redress with their lawsuit – packing and cracking voters for partisan gain,” DiGiorgio said. “We are learning firsthand the dangers of a Democrat majority on the Supreme Court who are intent on legislating from the bench.”

National Republican Congressional Committee Communications Director Matt Gorman said further litigation is not a matter of if but when.

“State and federal GOP officials will sue in federal court ... to prevent the new partisan map from taking effect,” he said. “The suit will highlight the state supreme court’s rushed decision that created chaos, confusion and unnecessary expense in the 2018 election cycle.”

Petitions for the congressional districts can begin to circulate Tuesday.

The map even caught President Donald Trump’s attention as seen in his Tweet, “Hope Republicans in the Great State of Pennsylvania challenge the new ‘pushed’ Congressional Map, all the way to the Supreme Court, if necessary. Your Original was correct! Don’t let the Dems take elections away from you so that they can raise taxes & waste money!”