By Joseph Ax
(Reuters) – Democrats have asked the Wisconsin Supreme Court to invalidate the state’s congressional map as illegally advantageous to Republicans, a move that if successful could help determine which party controls the U.S. House of Representatives after next year’s midterm elections.
The lawsuit was filed just five weeks after liberal Susan Crawford defeated conservative Brad Schimel for a pivotal seat on the state Supreme Court, maintaining a 4-3 left-wing majority. The race shattered U.S. spending records for a judicial race, with more than $100 million pouring into the campaign – including more than $20 million from billionaire Elon Musk and his network of political groups in support of Schimel.
Under the current congressional district lines, Republicans control six of the state’s eight U.S. House seats. Two of the districts are considered competitive by election analysts.
Democrats would need to flip only three seats in November 2026 to retake the House majority.
The Elias Law Group, headed by top Democratic election lawyer Marc Elias, filed the lawsuit on behalf of several Wisconsin voters, arguing that the map is an unconstitutional partisan gerrymander.
“Wisconsin’s congressional map is antithetical to virtually every principle necessary to sustain a representative democracy,” the complaint says.
The court’s liberal majority previously threw out the state’s Republican-leaning legislative maps in 2023, leading to a new set of maps that helped Democrats flip 14 seats statewide in 2024.
Musk said he got involved in the judicial race this year because he was worried a liberal majority on the court would redraw the state’s congressional lines, endangering the Republican majority in the House.
During the campaign, Republicans attacked Crawford for having met by video with a liberal group that presented the election as a chance to flip congressional seats. Crawford said she did not discuss redistricting on the call and only learned of the group’s focus after the event.
“Wisconsin voters deserve congressional districts that ensure all voices and viewpoints are fairly represented,” Elias Law Group partner Abha Khanna said in a statement. “Unfortunately, Wisconsin’s current congressional map has unfairly rewarded Republicans with a significant electoral advantage and will continue to do so for the remainder of the decade.”
After the lawsuit was filed, U.S. Representative Tony Wied, a Wisconsin Republican, wrote on X, “The ‘party of democracy’ can’t win on their own policies so they need to change the playing field.”
(Reporting by Joseph Ax; editing by Diane Craft)
