Supreme Court rejects Republican request to halt new Pennsylvania congressional map

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Supreme Court is keeping in place a revised map of Pennsylvania’s congressional districts, turning down a request from Republican leaders in the state Legislature.

The court’s order Monday declining to put on hold the revised map comes as incumbents and potential challengers are circulating petitions to get on the May primary ballot.

The court is declining to halt a series of decisions by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court that threw out a 2011 Republican-crafted map and established a new map of the state’s 18 districts.

Pennsylvania’s 2011 map is generally considered among the most gerrymandered in the nation, and Democrats hope new district lines will boost their chances of reclaiming majority control of the U.S. House.