A New York court ordered new congressional maps be redrawn ahead of the 2024 midterms, siding with Democrats salivating at the chance to overturn several embarrassing losses last November. 

The Appellate court reversed a lower court on Thursday and ordered the state’s redistricting commission to start work on new proposed state congressional lines impacting 26 House seats.

Republicans vowed to take the politically charged case to New York’s highest court.

“Democrats want to rig the congressional district lines in their favor,” roared former GOP Rep. John Faso of the Hudson Valley district. “New York State now has more competitive congressional districts than any state in the nation.”

If the decision is upheld by the Empire State’s highest court, the Court of Appeals, they would replace the maps used for the 2022 elections – which were redrawn by a neutral, court-ordered “special master” after Albany Democrats gerrymandered a previous version of the district lines.  

“We’re looking forward to getting back to work,” said Karen Blatt, the commission’s Democratic co-executive director. “And we’re looking forward to working with our Republican side as well.”

If the congressional districts revert to the lines drawn in 2022, it would also seriously jeopardize Republican wins in battleground seats on Long Island, Staten Island and the Hudson Valley, which experts pinpoint as key to icing out Democratic control of the House, and possibly end GOP control of the House.

“The Appellate Division majority’s conclusion guts the New York Constitution’s explicit prohibition against mid-decade redistricting. When Democrats can’t compete, they cheat,” House GOP Chairwoman Elise Stefanik and state Republican Chairman Ed Cox said in a joint statement.

First term GOP Rep. Michael Lawler representing Westchester and Rockland counties also denounced the decision as partisan, as well.

“Instead of running better candidates, having a coherent strategy, or messaging on issues New Yorkers actually care about, Albany and Washington DC, Democrats would rather gerrymander their way to power’ said Lawler.

Not surprisingly, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries applauded the decision to have ruling the state’s congressional lines be drawn by an independent commission.

“The current congressional map was drawn by an unelected, out-of-town Special Master appointed by an extreme right-wing judge, who himself was handpicked by partisan political operatives.”

With a promised appeal to the Court of Appeals, New York Law School professor Jeffrey Wice noted it is generally easier for the high court to affirm a lower court decision than explain why they are reversing it.

“There’s no guarantee here,” Wice said, “but the chances of success for the Democrats just got a lot better.”

With Post wires