There are moments in American politics when the pattern becomes so clear, so undeniable, that even the most casual observer cannot help but take notice. What is unfolding in New York’s 11th Congressional District is one of those moments.
Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, the sole House Republican representing any part of New York City, now finds herself facing the third attempt by Democrats to redraw her district. The latest salvo comes courtesy of a lawsuit filed by Democratic attorney Marc Elias’ law firm, and Malliotakis is not mincing words about what she sees as a naked power grab.
“The Democrats have absolutely zero shame,” Malliotakis said in an exclusive interview. “This is the third time they are trying to redraw our district, to tilt the scale and change the rules to give their party an advantage because they just cannot tolerate a Republican representing the city of New York.”
The congresswoman represents a district that covers all of Staten Island and portions of south Brooklyn. She won her seat in 2020 by defeating one-term Democrat Max Rose, who had ridden the “blue wave” of 2018 into office. Since then, her district has become a thorn in the side of Democrats who view Republican representation in New York City as an anomaly to be corrected rather than a legitimate expression of voter will.
The lawsuit argues that the existing district dilutes the voting power of Staten Island’s growing Black and Latino populations, allegedly violating minority protections under the New York Voting Rights Act. It is a claim that Malliotakis finds not just frivolous, but deeply ironic.
“The fact that they’re claiming somehow Hispanics and minorities are disenfranchised when I’m the first Hispanic elected to represent the district makes it even more ridiculous,” she said. Malliotakis was born to a Cuban mother who was exiled by Fidel Castro’s communist regime. Her father hails from Greece.
The voting patterns in New York’s 11th District tell a story that Democrats appear unwilling to accept. The district voted for President Donald Trump in 2016, 2020, and 2024. Trump has already endorsed Malliotakis for re-election, a vote of confidence that reflects the district’s Republican lean in recent cycles.
The district has elected Republicans for Senate in 2022 and 2024. While voters did choose President Barack Obama in 2012 and supported Democratic Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand in 2016 and 2018 respectively, the recent trajectory has been unmistakably Republican.
“It’s unfortunate that this will take time and resources to fight once again in court, but we will do that because the people of New York’s 11th district deserve to elect the person that they want, not who Washington Democrats think they want,” Malliotakis declared.
This is not an isolated incident. Across the nation, redistricting battles have become the preferred weapon for parties seeking to engineer electoral outcomes rather than earn them at the ballot box. What makes this case particularly brazen is the repetitive nature of the attacks on this single district.
The question Americans must ask themselves is simple: When does legitimate redistricting reform cross the line into partisan manipulation? When a party attempts to redraw the same district for the third time after losing elections there, the answer seems abundantly clear.
Malliotakis has vowed to fight this lawsuit with the same determination she has shown in previous redistricting battles. The people of Staten Island and south Brooklyn have spoken repeatedly at the ballot box. Whether the courts will respect their choice or enable yet another attempt to overturn it remains to be seen.
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