Republicans sue over new Oregon U.S. House maps

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Former Oregon Secretary of State Bev Clarno and three other Republicans have filed a lawsuit to challenge new congressional districts recently passed by state lawmakers. They say the new maps are partisan gerrymandering, unconstitutional and contrary to state law. Oregon Public Broadcasting reports the suit, filed Monday in Marion County Circuit Court, is the first such attempt to alter the six-district map that Democrats pushed through during a contentious special legislative session last month. Democrats passed a map that could lead to Democratic control of five of the state’s now-six seats in the U.S. House. Oregon picked up an additional seat because of population gains recorded by the recent U.S. Census.