Court will draw new Texan congressional map in boon to Democrats

Washington Post ^ | 11/08/2011 | Aaron Blake

[JerseyanExile]

In a boost to Democrats’ chances of retaking the House next year, federal judges in Texas will draw a map for the state’s 2012 congressional races.

A Washington, D.C., federal court on Tuesday declined to sign off on redistricting plan spearheaded by the state Republican Party. The D.C. court ruled that the Republican line-drawers “used an improper standard or methodology to determine which districts afford minority voters the ability to elect their preferred candidates of choice.”

The decision means the issue is headed for a lengthy court battle, which, in turn, means the map won’t be ready in time for the 2012 election. Because of this, the DC court tasked a panel of federal judges in San Antonio to draw an interim 2012 map — which could lead to significant Democratic gains — by the end of the month.

“This most likely means three additional Democratic seats in Texas,” said former congressman Martin Frost (D), a victim of the GOP’s last redistricting map. “The GOP overreached one time too often in Texas.”

Republicans had drafted a map on which they would likely win three of the four new seats the state is gaining in reapportionment — despite already having a 23-to-9 edge in the state’s congressional delegation and much of the state’s growth over the last decade occurring among minority communities.

Democrats say a court-drawn map could net them an extra two or three seats in Congress, bringing their gains to three or four seats and reducing GOP gains to one or zero seats. Republicans expect the new map to include one new GOP seat and three new Democratic ones.

Democrats nationally need to win 25 seats to retake the majority.

[JerseyanExile]

Looks like there's a major storm brewing in Texas over districting. One supposes that we can only wait and see which side manages to win this latest struggle of gerrymandering.

[goldstategop]

The Democrats have again thwarted the GOP majority in TX.

[goldstategop]

The Democrats have again thwarted the GOP majority in TX.

[ken21]

thanks. /s

just what the country needs—another democrat controlled california, ny, nj, il, ma, ha, wa, or,, ct, etc.

[RightOnTheBorder]

Texas is one Democrat majority away from becoming California. What people outside of Texas don’t know (and also the reason why many Texans reject Perry for president) is that we have a massive state Bureaucracy that grows bigger and more powerful every year. It is currently run by Republicans so the state is doing well financially but the system is in place for the rats to take over the levers of power and destroy it all. Much in the same way that the Federal government and economy both grew under Bush, but when Obama took over he had all the tools he needed to crush the US economically.

[Longbow1969]

So wait, Federal Courts can just decide to redraw redistricting maps?

Republicans should sue in every state Democrats control and hope to get a friendly court to write a map favorable to them.

[heiss]

how the heck it is possible that Dems always get to do redistricting so the every GOP district is wiped out (e.g. IL) but GOP cannot redraw anything??

[Texas Fossil]

Redistricting plans in many southern states are required to get “preclearance,” usually from the Justice Department, to verify that the state abided by sections of the Voting Rights Act that aim to protect minority groups.

We are about to remover Eric the "Red" Holder and they just opened Pandora's box. This year is going to be a wild ride. If the nation survives, we must remove these Commies.

[MattinNJ]

North Carolina GOP did a helluva job in redistricting, but your point is well taken.

[Texas Fossil]

Texas is one Democrat majority away from becoming California.

Wrong! I don't know who you are talking to, but Texas will never "become" or "be" California....You obviously do not understand or admit the differences.

[bgill]

Republicans won't run off to a Holiday Inn in Albuquerque, NM like the slimy whiny RATS did.

[West Texas Chuck]

Gerrymandering, it’s what’s for lunch.

[TLI]

The D.C. court ruled that the Republican line-drawers “used an improper standard or methodology to determine which districts afford minority voters the ability to elect their preferred candidates of choice.”

And then the say...

proposed redistricting plans for the U.S. House of Representatives, the Texas House of Representatives, and the Texas State Senate neither have the purpose nor will have the effect of denying or abridging the right to vote on account of race, color, or membership in a language minority and otherwise fully comply with Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended, 42 U.S.C. § 1973c; and (2) that the State’s redistricting plans for the U.S. House of Representatives,

So, the Republicans didn't "afford minority voters" an advantage, therefore the Court states they did >>>not<<< abide by Section 5 of the VRA to >>>NOT<<< "have the purpose" to "deny or abridge the right to vote on account of race, color, or membership in a language minority?"

And that is square-knot of twisted logic the DC court and "Holder's people" are proclaiming to be the justification for creating three districts (seats) based on that very same criteria of "race, color, or membership in a language minority" and handing them three new votes out of thin air?

Somehow that is not "affording minority voters" an advantage based on "race, color, or membership in a language minority" therefor that is exactly what the DC Court is ordering Texas to do?

Based upon the VRA which states it is illegal to do that?

Sure, must make sense to the donks because after all, they are the donks or some other ignorant crap catch-phrase BS.

.

[Trod Upon]

Coming to AZ next from the looks of things. This is why the courts must be reigned in. They are far more powerful than they were even intended to be.

[RightOnTheBorder]

I am not “talking” to anybody, I am simply keeping my eyes and ears open. Under republican sterwardship our state has it’s fingers in nearly every aspect of our lives. It may be managed in a way that does not hurt the people but the systems are in place for harmful government interference. California was once conservative and Republican until the illegals and liberal parasites invaded to reap the bounty of what conservatives created. Texas has had a similar invasion over the past decades, accelerated now by the rotten economy. I see major cities all have turned or are turning into liberal pits. I also see the establishment Republicans keeping Joe Strauss in power and then trying to jerrymander their own tea party members out of seats because they wanted to get a conserviative put in charge. I think that we simply have to face the fact that Texas is not the same place it was 20 or even 10 years ago.

[YouGoTexasGirl]

Exactly...unless they draw the maps the maps are wrong in so many ways, haa! Run away, take it to the courts, etc. their mode of doing business here and everywhere when they do not get their way. It flamed (gag me!!) Lloyd Doggett that his new district was one that he could hand out $$ like it is Halloween candy so he can shut up those of us living out of liberal Austin and handoutville. Cry me a river Democrats!!!

[TADSLOS]

Spot on assessment. Conservatism in Texas politics left the building awhile back. What we have now are poseurs from the governor on down.

[rustbucket]

The Democrats have again thwarted the GOP majority in TX.

I remember before the GOP got in power in Texas that the Democrats had fixed my district so that it was overwhelmingly Republican. That meant fewer Republican voters in nearby districts, permitting Democrats better chances to win there.

[Redbob]

"Democrats say a court-drawn map could net them an extra two or three seats in Congress, bringing their gains to three or four seats and reducing GOP gains to one or zero seats."

This of course ignores the fact that those four new seats Texas has all came from the bluest of blue states, and thus even a single GOP seat out of the four becomes a net gain for the GOP nationwide.