Joshua Solomon reports in the Times Union that the bipartisan state Independent Redistricting Commission approved new Congressional boundaries on Feb. 15, voting 9-to-1. Ken Jenkins, a Democrat and the commission’s chair, said, “I am very proud of my colleagues and their ability to come together in the spirit of compromise to work to deliver this plan.” Since the 2020 census, there have been many versions of local Congressional lines, with several struck down by the courts, and one used in the 2022 Congressional elections. The new map is generally similar to the one used in the 2022 election, which, the story says, "some political observes believe helped Republicans win several key races two years ago." Democrat Yovan Samuel Collado was the lone vote against the proposed maps. The newspaper predicts that the Hudson Valley’s 19th Congressional Distric could become slightly more favorable to the Republicans, while the 18th Congressional District could become slightly more favorable to a Democrat. The biggest change would be that Democrat Pat Ryan's 18th District would get Woodstock and Saugerties, while Republican Marc Molinaro's 19th Congressional District, would add Cooperstown, Schoharie, and Orange County’s Port Jervis. Democrat Paul Tonko's 20th Congressional District would lose portions of Glens Falls to Republican Elise Stefanik's 21st District. The state legislature needs to approve the new map for it to go into effect. Read more about this story in the Times Union.