North Carolina Republicans put exclamation mark on pivotal annual session with redistricting maps

By GARY D. ROBERTSON
Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The North Carolina General Assembly has given final approval to new redistricting maps poised to empower the state GOP for years to come. Their passage Wednesday marks the final achievement for Republican leaders in an annual work session that saw policy preferences on abortion, LGBTQ+ and gun rights, and voting rights and education become law. Republican legislators also passed laws that eroded Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s powers. The GOP held narrow veto-proof majorities in both chambers that ultimately allowed Republicans to override all of Cooper’s vetoes. Cooper can’t use his veto stamp on the redistricting legislation, but litigation challenging those maps is likely ahead.