North Carolina has reconfigured the western part of the state's political map, dropping Asheville from two congressional districts down to one, according to the Asheville Citizen Times.
The decision came after a unanimous decision by a three-judge panel on Dec. 2 in which the panel decided against reviewing a map of the state's 13 congressional districts, the publication reported. The panel previously ruled in October to block the old map, stating that it amounted to illegal partisan gerrymandering and that it had resulted in the election of 10 Republicans and three Democrats when the rest of the state is more evenly split party-wise, according to the Citizen Times.
The report stated that the division between Asheville and Buncombe weakened progressive votes and that the new lines will likely reduce the Republican advantage by two seats. The new 11th Congressional District will now cover 17 counties, including Avery, Buncombe, Clay, Cherokee, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Madison, McDowell, Macon, Mitchell, Polk, Swain, Transylvania, Yancey and half of Rutherford.
U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows (R-Hendersonville)
The next primary is in March and Democrats can immediately file to challenge incumbent U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows (R-Hendersonville) in the general election. The Citizen Times reports that several Democrats have already declared their intentions to run, including retired Air Force Col. Morris "Moe" Davis, Mills River music producer Michael O'Shea, retired Air Force Maj. Steve Woodsmall and solar-energy designer Jamie Trowbridge.
The House Joint Select Committee on Congressional Redistricting GOP co-chairs issued a joint statement on the restructure.
“The new congressional map was drawn in full transparent view without partisan goals or data following extensive public input," Reps. David Lewis of Harnett County and Destin Hall of Caldwell County said in a statement, according to the Citizen Times.
North Carolina Democratic Party Chairman Wayne Goodwin did not agree, the Citizen Times reported, saying that Republicans "[Ran] out the clock" and denied proper justice to area voters.