By Carol Tannenhauser
In a remarkable turn of events, long-time Upper West Side Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D), and long-time Upper East Side Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D) — who have described themselves as “allies” — could find themselves facing off against each other in the upcoming Democratic primary, as a result of the latest redistricting development.
A new draft map of New York State’s congressional electoral districts was released on Monday by Special Master Jonathan Cervas, who was appointed by the New York State Court of Appeals to redraw the map after a draft created by the Democratic legislature was rejected in late April, because of what the court deemed “unconstitutional” gerrymandering.
“In what would be a stunning change, the new map sees District 12, currently represented by Rep. Carolyn Maloney, take over the entire Upper West Side and a major chunk of Midtown Manhattan, encroaching on West Side turf that has long been home to Rep. Jerry Nadler,” wrote Patch.
Here is the new map, posted online by Jonathan Cervas. The light green to the left represents the new District 12.
Both Nadler and Maloney released statements indicating they plan to run in District 12.
Statement from Congressman Jerrold Nadler: pic.twitter.com/3BS8CiqKIP
— (((Jerry Nadler))) (@JerryNadler) May 16, 2022
I am proud to announce that I will be running to continue to represent the 12th Congressional District. A majority of the communities in the newly redrawn NY-12 are ones I have represented for years and to which I have deep ties #NY12 #TeamMaloney
— Carolyn B. Maloney (@CarolynBMaloney) May 16, 2022
“Every district was drawn to have between 776,970 and 776,972 constituents per congressional seat,” Spectrum reported. “‘There’s only a one-person deviation in this map, which is very precise,’ said Jeff Wice, senior fellow at the N.Y. Census & Redistricting Institute at New York Law School. ‘We don’t have contorted or oddly shaped maps or districts. Nearly all of them are more compact now. They seem to reflect more communities and counties kept intact.’
“Supreme Court Justice Patrick McCallister will move to finalize the plans by Friday. ‘Barring any technical or mapping errors, the court is unlikely to make any substantive changes,’ Wice said.”
For the state and national implications of the new map, check out The Times.
This is not good, as different neighborhoods have different needs and interests.
You do realize that Nadler’s current district includes large chunks of the bottom of Manhattan and Brooklyn? I think we Upper West Siders have a lot more in common with the Upper East Side than these parts of the city.
The ultimate political consequences of this are not good, but it really does make a lot of sense. I wish every other state had to do something similar.
lol. no more Brooklyn with the upper west side? Too bad the new map won’t bring back the progressivism of the UWS. Bella Abzug is turning in her grave.
What a terribly stupid, ignorant state of affairs when two such sterling politicians are maneuvered into running against each other! Who’s running this show?
Two sterling politicians…?
Thanks for the laugh.
I don’t believe a court should be making new maps. I mean we went through a long process to set up a fair system and now all of that is thrown out the window. The court could use a combination of the commission’s maps (i.e. a compromise using the Letters Plan upstate and Numbers plan downstate) and we would have had a democratic and constitutional process. Giving the court novel district drawing power doesn’t seem constitutional and suggests non-democratic decision making.
Insanity. Jerry is an true Upper West Sider. Before he was a U.S. Congressman, he was the NYS Assemblyman for the Upper West Side. Carolyn Maloney barely steps foot here. Does she even know where Zarbar’s is? I doubt it.
Re: “Does she even know where ZaRbar’s is?”
Probably NOT, but she might know where ZABAR’S is!
As ’tis said: write once; proofread TWICE
We are so similar to UES makes sense and much closer
I hate to say it but this district makes a lot more sense than the old one. It is just a shame that NY Dems are being forced to play strictly by the rules while Republicans in other states are not. The thought of McCarthy as speaker of the house makes me nauseous.
That is false. Courts have also thrown out maps gerrymandered by republicans, including in states like NC, FL and Utah.
Carlos, I very much agree. On all counts here.
This is absurd. The views and values of the UWS are quite different from those on the other side of the park. Was/is there any chance for community comments– on either side? And would those have any weight? Pretty sure those buttoned up folks on the UES aren’t excited to be lumped in with the left side of the map.
Water and oil.
Catherine, if this results in the UWS becoming as clean as the UES, then I’m all for it 🙂
These districts have to be drawn to include approximately 750,000 people. It is inevitable that not everyone in one district will be of exactly the same mindset and have exactly the same values. When districts are drawn using convoluted and bizarre shapes, it smacks of bad intentions. There is nothing cleaner and easier to visualize than a district’s being a normal geometric shape.
Wait! Congressman Nadler is not happy with the new plan. Maybe you should not have “Jerrymandered” to begin with.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/31/nyregion/nyc-congressional-district-nadler.html
From the Times: “The final results promised to make New York an anomaly in a nation composed of increasingly gerrymandered states.”
Seriously we should all feel fortunate to have the districts drawn this way, the lines are shockingly coherent by contemporary standards. Hopefully other state courts strike down disgraceful maps elsewhere (e.g., in Florida).
It should be the national model. Sadly, it is not. And it always sucks when those that play fair come out on the losing end.
I volunteer as Tribute
Awful. Which republican drew this map.
When my small business was shut down on the UWS I wanted to find out about PPP loans, I called Nadlers office numerous times no response. In desperation I called Maloney’s even though I was not in her district. I will remember in my time of desperation who helped me!!
Oh the entitlement in these comments! The UWS doesn’t get its own district. You need in excess of 700,000 people to form a congressional district so you’re going to have to attach to some neighboring area or areas in order to get to that number. This exercise becomes even more difficult when your population is contracting. Also, had the party not tried to aggressively gerrymander, they wouldn’t be in this predicament. His rotundity’s comment about keeping communities together is such perfectly laughable hypocrisy given the original proposal rejected by the court had Columbus avenue as the dividing line.
Nadler needs to go I will support Maloney
This has a high probability of influencing how the neighborhood evolves in the future.
Like, 0.00000001% probability.
Honestly, they’re both way past expiry date. This is one way to start to wean off the gerontocracy, and frankly I hope Nadler’s days are numbered in DC.
I’m with you here.
Nadler has been constantly praised by our community, but for something like removing Trump name from things or participating in the religious service. What are his actual achievements that really matter?
Those helicopters are still flying over Central Park 🙁
Does anyone know how we can comment to the Special Master on these new districts? I sure don’t want to have to vote with the UES.
You won’t vote with those on the UES but you’ll vote with those in lower Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn?
I haven’t had time to think about the implications of the new districts, but some of these comments are a bit much.
I would love a rationale (i.e. not political) explanation of how the existing district borders make more sense then these proposed borders. Everyone likes to point fingers at the Republicans for their crazy district lines (and rightly so, particularly as of late), but to be fair, Democrats are no better.
This map makes more sense than the current District 10. I and everyone reading this (I would warrant) have much more in common with Upper East Siders than we do with people in Bensonhurst for Heaven’s sake!
And news today, DeB is intending on running for this district.
When will he ever stop.
Sharks are starting to gather.
BdeB is likely going to throw his hat into ring, and there may be others as well.
https://nypost.com/2022/05/17/bill-de-blasio-eyeing-run-at-newly-drawn-ny-seat-nadler-has-left-behind/
Going into redistricting Rep. Carolyn Maloney wanted something that took bit of progressive, liberal, socialist democrats out of her current district. Likely fears as other entrenched democrats rise of AOC and others. Now facing a district including UWS, it’s going to be fun watching this play out.
Both Nadler and Maloney have played to core base of their respective former districts for years. Now both will have to change their game. This while fighting off any potential others who might get into this race.
Is there any chance that the new lines will threaten AOC’s district? That would make a lot of us very happy. She is only slightly more tolerable than a Republican, and she shares their inability to compromise.
So now they each will have to come up with new lies on why they are unable to address real problems like health insurance, inflation, government waste, failing schools. Moreover, they will each have to come up with new distractions to explain why so many 5th generation NYers live in squalor, crime and poverty.
Maloney won her primary by a small margin of votes. The fourth-place finisher Harrison’s votes would have put the second-place finisher Patel over the top.
NO NO NO NO. Why is some bureaucrat fixing something that isn’t broke???
Unfortunately, I believe there is no choice. The state undergoes a redistricting after the completion of each census and given the declining population as evidenced by the last census, New York state is losing 1 congressional seat
It just gets better and better.
So far BdeB has thrown his hat into ring, and now Brad Hoylman is doing same.
https://www.thecity.nyc/2022/5/17/23103027/hoylman-nadler-house-seat