New Congressional Districts
By Jim Forbes, Publisher
From the jump, California Democrats made no pretense of their intentions. If, at the direction of President Donald Trump, Texas performed a mid-decade redistricting of Congressional districts intended to gain five Republican seats in Washington, California, at the direction of Gov. Gavin Newsom would throw a counter punch.
This week, the gloves officially came off, if they were ever really on.
After taking summer trips to California, Illinois, and elsewhere, Democratic Texas state legislators who had bailed out of legislative sessions for weeks returned to Austin on Monday. By Wednesday, Republicans in the Texas House passed the measure, and the state senate was poised to do the same on Thursday. Texas Gov. Greg Abbottʻs signature is the final formality.
The heavily Democratic California State Legislature returned to work on Monday on schedule and immediately began the steps, including public hearings, of passing a bill in both chambers intended to enact the method for a mid-decade redistricting heavily tilted in its favor, with the hopes of at least matching the target of five districts that Texas has targeted. Thus offsetting the latest southern strategy.
The two states have a significantly different approach.
The Texas measure will be the law, pending the outcome of the expected legal challenges.
Californiaʻs approach is to call for a special election this November, having the voterʻs decide if they agree with this approach. Republicans have already filed a suit against the legislative process. (See accompanying story)
This past week, the Governor released the proposed maps carving up the state’s Congressional districts just three years after the current maps took hold following the work of the California Citizens Redistricting Commission (CCRC), the voter-approved, bipartisan citizens commission that drew up the current districts.
And at the heart of the matter is Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Corona), the longest current-serving Republican in the California Congressional delegation. After cruising through decades of easy wins, Calvertʻs margins thinned in the past two elections, and he remains a top target of Democrats. The line of challengers that has already formed is growing, including members of both parties, but primarily Democrats.
Ken Calvertʻs District Would Spread to LA and SB Counties, Lopping off Much of Rivco
Calvertʻs present 41st District would be essentially split into three current districts, held by himself and two other Republicans, Young Kim, whose base is in Orange County, and Darrel Issa, whose base is primarily in San Diego County.
In return, Corona and Norco, currently in Calvertʻs 41st, would join Eastvale in the proposed new 35th District, currently held by Democrat Norma Torres. That district stretches north and west into LA and San Bernardino Counties, including Pomona, Ontario, and Fontana, each having a history of majority Democratic registrations.
The region south of Corona, stretching east from Coronita through Lakes Mathews and Elsinore, onto Menifee and Quail Valley, currently in Calvertʻs 41st, would be added to Young Kimʻs 40th district. Though the district will dip into her Orange County base to Villa Park, sheʻll lose other communities in the OC in the area surrounding Orange.
A third component of the three-year-old 41st district that stretches east to the Coachella Valley, including Palm Springs and Indian Wells, would be flipped to the new 48th district, currently held by Republican Darrel Issa. That district would lose a large swath of eastern San Diego County, Issaʻs base.
The neighboring majority Republican registration cities of Temecula and Murrieta, currently in the 48th, would be split, with Murrieta to the north, being included in the 40th.
Democrat Mark Takanoʻs 39th district, including Perris, Moreno Valley, Jurupa Valley, and Riverside, remains intact with new maps.
But these are all at least three hurdles away: get it on the November ballot, defeat opposition legal challenges,and lastly, if the race is still on, win at the ballot box in November.
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