Evers signs new Wisconsin legislative maps into law

Governor Tony Evers has signed new legislative maps into law, potentially loosening the GOP grip on power in Wisconsin state government for the first time in over a decade.

Democrats have tried unsuccessfully for years to overturn the Republican-drawn maps. But it wasn’t until control of the state Supreme Court flipped left in August with the election of Janet Protasiewicz that Democrats were able to redraw the maps.

While the new map lines tend to favor new seats being won by democrats as early as this November’s elections, Evers says the new maps don’t really favor either party and that it makes it any candidates game to win in some areas where the GOP had an advantage in the past.

Despite the shift towards the left, the Republican-controlled Legislature passed the maps introduced by the governor because if they didn’t, Republicans feared what maps the liberal-leaning state supreme court would draw up if they couldn’t agree on the new set up.

Political experts in the state say “In a true 50/50 year, the edge still goes towards Republicans under these maps, but it’s a greatly reduced edge compared to what they previously enjoyed.”