Democratic gerrymandering may turn tide (MT House) | Great Falls Tribune

[Ediacara]

Democratic gerrymandering may turn tide

By MIKE DENNISON
Tribune Capitol Bureau

HELENA -- If you're not a serious political junkie, you might have found yourself wondering last week: Why the incredible fuss over Montana's new legislative district boundaries?

Why do we hear Republicans, firmly in control of Montana politics for a decade, complaining bitterly of "blatant, raw, naked politics" and "criminal" behavior by the folks who redrew the boundaries?

Why? Because they know these boundaries matter when it comes to controlling politics.

This time, Montana Republicans came out on the short end of the political stick, and they're understandably ticked off.

Will they end up losing control in Montana because of it?

At best, they'll probably see their margin of majority narrowed in the 2005 Legislature. At worst, they'll be the minority in the Montana House, Senate, or both.

More at the Great Falls Tribune

What they don't tell you in this snippet is that the new legislative districts were drawn by a bipartisan commission, and that the previous boundries were skewed heavily Republican. Boo-hoo-hoo!!!

[DavidMS]

1. Waitaminute...

If its ok to redisctict is done by rethugs to disenfranchise poor people (see Texas), why are they complaining now now that the tables have been turned? Turnabout is fair play

[Whoa_Nelly]

5. And don't forget other Rethug attempts/successes

Gerrymanders getting vicious

By The Helena IR - 01/11/04

The controversy over Montana's latest redistricting is pretty much settled for now. Challenges to the Districting and Apportionment Commission's new legislative boundaries have been overturned, and the only issue remaining is where to assign a handful of "holdover senators."

The state Supreme Court is expected to rule by Feb. 3 on whether that is the purview of the commission or the Legislature.


<snip>
Some examples:

In Texas, where Democratic legislators fled the state twice in a futile attempt to prevent Republicans from muscling through a second redistricting in two years, the new map will change that state's congressional delegation from 15 Republicans and 17 Democrats to 22 Republicans and 10 Democrats. (In Colorado, a similar attempt to push through a second, mid-decade redistricting was overturned by the state's high court; the new Texas plan has been approved by a panel of three federal judges.)


In Michigan, where the vote in 2002 was 49 percent Democratic and 48 percent Republican, gerrymandered districts meant that the Democrats' 9-7 edge in Congress turned into a 9-6 Republican advantage. (The state lost one congressional seat after the 2000 census.)

In Florida, where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by more than 300,000, the GOP holds an 18-7 congressional edge, largely because of redistricting. In the Legislature, Republicans enjoy an 81-39 majority in the House and a 26-14 advantage in the Senate.

In Pennsylvania, redrawn districts given names like the "supine seahorse" and the "upside-down Chinese dragon" gave Republicans a 12-7 congressional edge even though, statewide, half of Pennsylvania's voters cast ballots for Democratic candidates.


http://www.helenair.com/articles/2004/01/11/opinions_top/a04011104_01.txt

[Ediacara]

6. In Montana

These are state House districts. There's only one federal house district in Montana.

[rumguy]

2. I was born and raised in Montana

I would so love to see that state get wrenched out the hands of greedy repukes...

The repuke governer is so unpopular right now, she's become a laughing stock. And the Dems already have a candidate who leads her in the polls.

[Ediacara]

3. She is not running again

There is a crowded primary full of idiots worse than Martz, and some that could win. I think Schweitzer will win in November, but it'll probably be close.

[bluestateguy]

4. What they failed to mention

was that the unpopularity of Republican governor Judy Martz might have something to do with Republicans losing seats.

If Montana Republicans, who have controlled the legislature and governorship for a decade cannot draw districts that will favor their party, then they are so stupid that theur deserve to lose.