Trial continues in Illinois redistricting lawsuit

A trial that will decide a Republican lawsuit over the state’s new Democrat-drawn congressional map is continuing in federal court in Chicago.

The two-day trial before a three-judge panel is scheduled to end Friday.

Prominent Republicans, including all but one GOP member of the U.S. House from Illinois, have sued to stop the map. They say it will decimate their recent gains in Congress and dilute Latino voting influence.

Four Republican members of Congress testified at the trial’s opening day on Thursday.

The court battle will be closely watched as Democrats nationally try to regain the U.S. House after losing it to the GOP in 2010. The GOP wave that swept the country that election year sent five freshmen Republicans from Illinois to the House.