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In cases from North Carolina and Pennsylvania, Republican state legislatures sought to block decisions issued by state supreme courts based on the states' respective constitutions.

GOP legislative leaders filed an emergency request last Friday with Chief Justice John Roberts asking that the court set aside the new map while they seek to challenge the ability of the state's judiciary to adjust the lines in light of the U.S. Constitution.

It was another week of whiplashing news in the world of North Carolina politics. Following a flurry of court orders on redistricting, the candidate filing period resumed after a two month hiatus. Governor Roy Cooper vetoed another bill, and a war in Eastern Europe will soon have impacts close to home. Rob Schofield and Clark Riemer discuss those topics in our weekly review.

The State Board of Elections and county election offices accepted candidate documents and fees again on Thursday morning. That came mere hours after the state Supreme Court refused appeals of those seeking to delay the use of some redistricting maps that a panel of trial judges had endorsed on Wednesday.

The justices declined any delay Wednesday night despite a flurry of appeals from Republican lawmakers and from voters and advocacy groups. The Supreme Court's decision means the primary is still on for May 17.

Barring any appeal to the Supreme Court later Wednesday that results in a delay, candidate filing resumes at 8 a.m. Thursday under the new boundaries for the May 17 primary.

The General Assembly approved new plans last week for North Carolina's congressional and state legislative districts.

Republicans who run the legislature unveiled on Wednesday new congressional and legislative plans that will be approved in some form by a Friday deadline set by the state Supreme Court. Justices this month struck down maps enacted in November, declaring them partisan gerrymanders that violated the state constitution.

Justices held oral arguments Monday examining a lawsuit that alleges the legislature was barred from placing constitutional amendments on the ballot because lawmakers who agreed to do so were elected with the help of distorted district boundaries.

Across the nation, some COVID-19 guidelines have been significantly changed in recent days. Here in North Carolina, there were some marginal changes. Meanwhile, state lawmakers prepare to draw new districts, and the GOP finds itself in another intra-party squabble. Donna King and Rob Schofield review it all in our Week In State Politics.