(FreedomBeacon.com)- This week, the Supreme Court refused to take up an appeal involving the congressional redistricting map passed by the Republican-controlled legislature in Kansas that was upheld last year by the Kansas state Supreme Court, the Associated Press reported.
The redistricting map was challenged by 11 Democrat voters in Kansas who claimed it was racial and political gerrymandering that violated the state’s bill of rights.
Last year, attorneys for the Kansas voters and a Democrat voting rights group challenged the redistricting map passed by the legislature arguing that the language in the Kansas bill of rights about “inalienable natural rights’ and “equal protection” prevents racial or partisan gerrymandering.
The map was blocked by a lower court but then upheld on appeal by the Kansas Supreme Court, which ruled that the plaintiffs in the case “have not prevailed on their claims.” In a 4-3 ruling, the state Supreme Court also ruled that the Kansas state constitution does not prevent partisan gerrymandering. The Court argued that state courts have no clear standard for what amounts to improper gerrymandering in the absence of a “zero tolerance” policy.
The plaintiffs appealed the Kansas Supreme Court ruling to the US Supreme Court, arguing that the state’s new congressional map was racially gerrymandered.
But on Monday, the Supreme Court declined to take up the case, allowing the Kansas Supreme Court’s ruling to stand and the map to remain in place.
Critics had argued that the GOP-drawn congressional map would hurt the reelection chances of Congresswoman Sherice Davids, the only Democrat in the Kansas congressional delegation, who represents the Kansas City area.
However, Davids won reelection during the November midterms by 12 points.
The new congressional map also placed the largely Democrat city of Lawrence in northeastern Kansas into a heavily Republican district in western Kansas.
