April 1, 2026 Story by: Editor
A special three-judge panel on Tuesday, March 31, dismissed a lawsuit seeking to redraw Wisconsin’s congressional districts, a move that likely cements the state’s current political boundaries through the 2026 midterm elections.
The panel, consisting of two federal district judges and one appellate judge, ruled that the plaintiffs failed to provide a sufficient legal basis to discard the maps at this stage of the cycle.
Central to the judges’ reasoning was the distinction between state legislative maps and federal congressional maps. While the Wisconsin Supreme Court recently ordered the redrawing of state assembly and senate districts—concluding they violated the state constitution’s requirement for contiguous territory—this panel found that those same state-level standards do not automatically apply to federal congressional boundaries.
The decision stems from one of two cases currently under consideration by separate three-judge panels appointed by the liberal-led state Supreme Court. Filed in July 2025, the lawsuits followed several failed attempts to redraw congressional maps that currently favor Republicans by a 6-2 margin.
This specific case, dismissed by a panel led by Dane County Circuit Judge Julie Genovese, was brought by the Elias Law Group on behalf of Democratic voters.
The plaintiffs argued that the current maps discriminate against Democrats by “packing” voters into two districts while “diluting” their influence across Republican-leaning areas.
They further contended the maps are unconstitutional, claiming the judiciary’s role in enacting them violated the separation of powers. Republican members of the state’s congressional delegation had moved to dismiss the challenge.
Background
In November, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ordered that these redistricting cases be heard by a three-judge panel, overriding Republican objections.
This marked the first implementation of a 2011 GOP-enacted law governing such panels. The political shift in the state’s delegation has been stark: in 2010, Democrats held a 5-3 majority in House seats; today, Republicans hold six of the state’s eight seats, with only two currently considered competitive.
The existing maps, which evolved from the 2010 boundaries, were approved by a then-conservative majority on the state Supreme Court after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to block them in March 2022.
Democrats have specifically targeted the 3rd District in western Wisconsin, currently held by Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden. Van Orden, a vocal Trump supporter, flipped the seat in 2022 following Rep. Ron Kind’s retirement and secured reelection in 2024. The 1st District in southeastern Wisconsin, held by Rep. Bryan Steil since 2019, is also a primary target. While the most recent maps made the 1st District more competitive, it still retains a Republican lean.
A separate lawsuit, brought by a bipartisan coalition of business leaders, remains scheduled for trial next year, though a motion to dismiss that case is also pending.
Source: AP News / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
