The Atlantic: Justice Kennedy's Beauty Pageant
On Monday the Supreme Court agreed to hear Gill v. Whitford, a case considering the constitutionality of the Wisconsin Republican legislature’s state assembly districts, which greatly favor Republicans over Democrats despite near parity in support in the state. As the challengers to Wisconsin’s district plan explained, “Wisconsin’s Assembly … bears no resemblance to its evenly split electorate. In 2012, Republicans won a supermajority of sixty seats (out of ninety-nine) while losing the statewide vote. In 2014 and 2016, Republicans extended their advantage to sixty-three and sixty-four seats, respectively, even though the statewide vote remained nearly tied.”