Republicans Seek Supreme Court Intervention to Preserve NYC's Only GOP House Seat

Redistricting battle over Rep. Nicole Malliotakis' district could impact control of the House

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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Republicans are appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court to stop the boundaries of the only Republican-held congressional seat in New York City from being redrawn. This comes after a state judge threw out the district's borders, siding with Democrats who argued the lines dilute the power of Black and Latino voters. The GOP is hoping the Supreme Court will intervene to uphold the current map, as the redrawn district could provide an opportunity for Democrats in this year's midterm elections.

Why it matters

The battle over the boundaries of Rep. Nicole Malliotakis' district is the latest move in a winding legal fight that could have major implications in the fight for control of the House of Representatives in the 2022 midterm elections. The outcome could determine whether Democrats are able to flip a Republican-held seat in New York City.

The details

A state judge ruled last month that the boundaries of Malliotakis' district must be redrawn, siding with an election law firm aligned with the Democratic Party. Republicans have now appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing the redrawn map would violate the Constitution by diluting the power of minority voters. The Supreme Court has recently allowed new maps in Texas and California to be used in this year's elections.

  • On February 17, 2026, a state judge threw out the boundaries of Rep. Nicole Malliotakis' district.
  • On February 19, 2026, a state appeals court sided with Democrats, effectively telling the state's redistricting commission to start working on a new congressional map.

The players

Rep. Nicole Malliotakis

The Republican congresswoman who currently represents the only Republican-held House seat in New York City.

U.S. Supreme Court

The highest court in the United States, which Republicans are hoping will intervene to stop the redrawing of Malliotakis' district.

Democratic Party

The political party that has argued the current boundaries of Malliotakis' district dilute the power of Black and Latino voters in Staten Island and southern Brooklyn.

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What they’re saying

“The U.S. Supreme Court has been unequivocal: race-based redistricting violates the U.S. Constitution. I look forward to the Supreme Court's intervention in this case to uphold the rule of law and preserve the integrity of our elections.”

— Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (wral.com)

What’s next

The Supreme Court will decide whether to intervene in the case by Monday, February 24, 2026, so that candidate petitioning can begin the next day under the current congressional map.

The takeaway

This redistricting battle over the only Republican-held House seat in New York City is the latest move in a high-stakes fight that could have major implications for control of the House of Representatives in the 2022 midterm elections. The outcome will depend on whether the Supreme Court steps in to preserve the current district boundaries or allows them to be redrawn.