Good news -- the United States Supreme Court as rejected an appeal filed by Pennsylvania Republicans who asked the court to block a state Supreme Court decision striking down their gerrymandered congressional map.
From the Associated Press:
Justice Samuel Alito on Monday rejected emergency appeals from Republican legislative leaders and voters to block an order from the state Supreme Court to devise new congressional districts. The state high court ruled last month that the 18 districts violated Pennsylvania’s constitution because they unfairly benefited Republicans.
The state court gave lawmakers and Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf three weeks to submit a replacement plan, after which the state justices might draw up their own map.
While the Supreme Court does not typically intervene in state court rulings of this nature, there was an understandable level of anxiety surrounding the case and it was difficult to say with any certainty that the highest court wouldn't intervene.
We won't know the full implications this ruling could have on future cases until we know exactly which justices dissented but it is very interesting that Justice Alito rejected the appeal. That tells us state lawmakers couldn't even persuade one of the most conservative justices.