Democrats pin their hopes on the courts in uphill redistricting fight

Outgunned in the national redistricting war, Democrats are launching a multi-pronged legal battle to try and prevent GOP gains ahead of next year’s midterms.

It stands to be a grueling, lengthy and costly process for Democrats to counter President Donald Trump’s effort to draw new congressional maps that boost Republicans as they look to grow their slim majority next year. But with limited options to redraw maps in blue states outside Gov. Gavin Newsom’s effort in California, the courtroom presents the party’s best hope of countering President Donald Trump’s aggressive strategy.

The specifics differ from state to state, but taken together they will demonstrate some of Democrats’ long-held strategies in redistricting cases, namely arguing Republicans are suppressing voters of color and engaging in partisan gerrymandering with their proposed maps.