The New York state Legislature’s newly introduced congressional maps don’t appear to be the blatant power grab that Republicans have been fearing, but they could serve to put an additional Democratic seat in the win column for New York.

According to redistricting expert Jeff Wice, an adjunct professor of law and senior fellow at the New York Census and Redistricting Institute, the new lines may put first-term Republican U.S. Rep. Marc Molinaro, of the 19th District, in jeopardy. 

“This plan could be a net gain for the Democrats of one district created by weakening Molinaro,” Wice said. 

The maps proposed by the Independent Redistricting Commission (IRC) hurt Republican Rep. Brandon Williams’ chances of retaining his seat in the 22nd District. The maps proposed by the Legislature do not change that calculus, and because Republicans in the Legislature supported the IRC’s maps, the argument Democrats seem to be making is, what’s one more district?

“This new map also helps the Republicans slightly in the 1st and 2nd Districts," Wice continued.

State Senate Deputy Majority Leader Mike Gianaris has been spearheading these changes for the Senate. He told Capital Tonight that the IRC appeared to make a deal among themselves to protect both parties’ incumbents.

“That’s impermissible under the [state] Constitution,” Gianaris explained. “They also, in order to accomplish that feat, sliced up counties six different times, which is impermissible, according to the Constitution, and did not respect the communities of interest that exist throughout the state.”

Gianaris said the new legislative maps “make a lot of fixes." 

Both legislative houses will need to vote on the maps, which could happen as soon as Wednesday if the governor signs a message of necessity.

Wice put voice to the question on the minds of most New Yorkers who have been following this saga: 

“The biggest question is, is the net change of one district, that Molinaro district, enough to throw this back into court?"