Wisconsin governor ends GOP gerrymander

Democrat Tony Evers signed new legislative maps he drew after the state Supreme Court struck down the old district lines as unconstitutional

(Image credit: Nicole Neri / Bloomberg via Getty Images)

What happened?

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) on Monday signed new legislative maps he drew after the state Supreme Court struck down the old district lines as unconstitutional. Republicans, who have dominated the state legislature since drawing heavily gerrymandered districts in 2011, approved the maps last week. Now, 46 of the 99 Assembly districts lean Republican, 45 lean Democratic, and eight are tossups, according to a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel analysis.

Who said what?

"When I promised I wanted fair maps — not maps that are better for one party or another, including my own — I damn well meant it," Evers said. Wisconsin is "a purple state." Evers "signed the most Republican-leaning maps out of all the Democrat-gerrymandered maps" under consideration, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R) said. "Republicans will prove that we can win on any maps because we have the better policy ideas."

The commentary

Republicans "capitulated" because they didn't want the newly liberal court to draw the maps, Scott Lemieux said at Lawyers, Guns & Money. It's "funny" Vos now insists Republicans have been winning because of "ideas" and "candidates," when his old "illegally gerrymandered maps" meant Democrats needed "like 65% of the vote to get a bare majority of the state legislature."

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What next?

Evers said the new maps "will take effect immediately." Democrats are also asking the Supreme Court to revisit Wisconsin's eight congressional districts, six of which are held by Republicans.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.