Judicial panel upholds new congressional districts in Oregon

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Following September’s contentious redistricting special session in the Oregon Legislature, a judicial panel on Wednesday unanimously dismissed a challenge to new congressional maps pushed through by state Democrats. Despite accusations by Republicans, Oregon Public Broadcasting reports that the five-judge panel found no evidence of gerrymandering while creating the maps — the illegal manipulation of electoral district boundaries to win an unfair political advantage. The new congressional maps include four U.S. House seats that either are safe Democratic or lean in the party’s favor, one reliably red seat and one seat that could be a toss-up. Republicans believe the proposed boundaries will likely result in the Democrats obtaining five of the U.S. House seats to the GOP’s one.