I don't want to tempt fate by saying this definitely isn't going to work, but it seems like a very peculiar strategy to me.
Republicans in Pennsylvania are following through on their threat to challenge the congressional district map drawn by the state Supreme Court, but they aren't going to file an appeal in federal district court as I expected.
Well, they are, but not exactly.
From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Top Republican lawmakers will ask the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday to block implementation of a new Pennsylvania congressional map, House Speaker Mike Turzai, R-Bradford Woods, said.
Mr. Turzai and Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati, R-Jefferson, have fought the Pennsylvania Supreme Court for weeks, following the court ruling last month overturning the previous congressional map as a partisan gerrymander. The state high court imposed a new, court-drawn map Monday, prompting renewed vows of federal challenges.
Meanwhile, a second federal challenge is also expected as early as Wednesday, led by national Republicans and other state lawmakers. (Mr. Scarnati and Mr. Turzai are not involved with the second lawsuit.)
It should be obvious but if the Supreme Court denies their appeal and allows the maps to be adopted, again, a second (third?) challenge in federal district court would be pointless.
It's only been three weeks since the Supreme Court rejected the state GOP's first appeal and, at this point, I figure they're probably getting annoyed by Republicans across the country demanding immediate hearings in front of the Supreme Court.
In my headcanon, Chief Justice Roberts rolls his eyes with each new demand to bypass federal district courts and run directly into the arms of the Gorsuch, Thomas, and Alito.
We should know how this story is going to end within the next week or two.