Pennsylvania Republicans ask Supreme Court to block new congressional map

(Reuters) - Pennsylvania Republicans on Wednesday filed an emergency appeal asking the U.S. Supreme Court to block a new congressional map drawn by the state's top court from taking effect ahead of this year's mid-term elections.

The Supreme Court rejected a similar petition from the state's Republican legislative leaders earlier this month, paving the way for a new map for the state's U.S. congressional districts.

The new map, which the court released on Monday, is widely seen as giving Democrats a far better chance of capturing multiple seats in U.S. House of Representatives in the November elections. Republicans have held 13 of the state's 18 U.S. House seats since 2011, despite Pennsylvania's status as a closely divided bellwether state.

Democrats need to win 24 seats nationally to retake control of the House from Republicans.

Pennsylvania's Supreme Court in January invalidated the existing congressional lines, which were created in 2011 by the Republican-controlled legislature, as an unconstitutional gerrymander that marginalized Democratic voters.

Source: Yahoo News