Local congressional districts will not change

New York Democrat leaders hit a roadblock in their gerrymandering efforts on Monday, March 2, when the US Supreme court struck down their attempt to redistrict congressional district 11.
District 10 Incumbent Rep. Dan Goldman is now officially set to face former city comptroller Brad Lander on June 23, rather than Republican Nicole Malliotakis, who he would have been up against had the redistricting been successful.

In January, State Supreme Court Justice Jeffrey Pearlman ruled that the 11th district was drawn in a way that unconstitutionally diluted the voting power of Black and Hispanic voters. The ruling ordered the district redrawn in a way likely to shift it from Republican-leaning to Democratic-leaning, helping the Democrats in their nationwide gerrymandering battle with the GOP ahead of the 2026 midterms.

Pearlman ordered new maps drawn before this year’s elections, but election officials and voters led by Malliotakis appealed to the US Supreme Court. In a one-paragraph, unsigned order issued March 2, the Court delayed the new maps, departing from its usual reluctance to intervene in state election disputes ahead of an upcoming election.

“I thank the Justices who stopped the voters on Staten Island and in Southern Brooklyn from being stripped of their ability to elect a representative who reflects their values. Whether I serve another term in Congress is a decision for the voters, not Democrat party bosses and their high-priced lawyers,” Malliotakis wrote in a statement released following the ruling.

Uncertainty removed
Lander entered the 10th District race in December but largely avoided levying direct attacks on Goldman amid uncertainty over the outcome of redistricting. After Monday’s ruling, however, he struck a more aggressive tone.

“Once again the MAGA Supreme Court justices have put partisan politics over impartial justice,” Lander said in a statement posted to social media. “But now the race for NY-10 is set. We’re up against an AIPAC-aligned multi-millionaire who bought his seat and we’re building a people’s movement to take it back.”

The former comptroller rose to prominence in national Democratic circles last summer when he ran an unsuccesful campaign for New York City mayor. Taking advantage of ranked choice voting, he joined with Zohran Mamdani, giving Mamdani credibility with Jewish voters as he beat out Andrew Cuomo. Lander’s strategy was designed to turn his own personal lemon into lemonade. One postive result or Lander is the mayor’s endorsement against Goldman, a race he jumped into after last year’s losing race.

His local reputation is far from spotless; as city council member he spearheaded the contentious Gowanus rezoning, and last year he called the Brooklyn Marine Terminal redevelopment—the vision plan of which includes mostly luxury housing and has been criticized by maritime experts, some elected officials, and community members—a “once-in-a-generation opportunity to combat our affordable housing crisis.” In both cases he alienated voters cynical of luxury real estate development in once gritty neighborhoods.

The 10th Congressional District was created in 2022 following another court challenged redistricting that had been designed to wrest Staten Island from Republicans.

Goldman narrowly emerged as victor of a crowded primary to secure the new seat.

More popular in Manhattan than in Brooklyn, Goldman made few friends in South Brooklyn as he led a Brooklyn Marine Terminal task force to vote yes to an EDC Vision Plan that lacked overwhelming community support.

“NY-10 is my home. It is my honor to fight for my neighbors every day. I look forward to earning re-election to enact a bold, progressive agenda, defend our democracy, & hold Trump accountable,” wrote Goldman in a statement of his own from Monday night. “Others may talk a big game, but I can’t wait to keep doing the work on behalf of NY.”