The GOP-dominated Wisconsin Legislature voted Tuesday to adopt state legislative maps that would loosen the party’s grip on power in the state, backing down in a long-running redistricting fight.
Should Democratic Gov. Tony Evers sign the new maps into law, it would be a dramatic reorientation of the political order in the battleground state. Wisconsin’s current lines are gerrymandered in a way that makes it virtually impossible for Republicans to lose control of the Legislature in a place where statewide contests usually are decided by no more than a couple points. But the new maps would give both parties a chance to be competitive.
The new districts mirror a proposal put forward by Evers in a related court case. He signaled earlier this month that he would consider signing off on the maps if the Legislature passed his proposals without changes. A spokesperson for the governor said Tuesday that his position had not changed.
Republicans were willing to pass the new maps only after being cornered by legal challenges in state court.