Dems’ Redistricting Talk
Interesting news from the Business Council of Alabama’s Governmental Affairs Conference in Point Clear on Mobile Bay this past weekend…
The most interesting from the Parlor’s perspective is that, according to a reliable source, Senate and House Democrats in attendance met privately to discuss a potential redistricting plan for the upcoming legislative session.
Any such redistricting would only affect state elections in 2010. It could not be implemented in time for the 2008 Congressional elections, and after the 2010 census district lines would have to be redrawn again.
You thought this year’s legislative session was dysfunctional? One Republican legislator told me that any such redistricting plan from the Democrats next year “would pretty much scuttle the entire session because Republicans would naturally go to the wall to protect their numbers.”
More to come regarding the BCA weekend…
I was there and didn’t see enough democratic legislators to constitute a serious meeting, if they did meet there.
Comment by Anonymous — August 15, 2007 @ 3:06 pm
Thanks for the comment. I’ll find out any more that I can.
Comment by Danny — August 15, 2007 @ 3:19 pm
Oh I hope its true. Can you imagine Lowell Barron cocking his head high
and rubbing this in the face of the GOPers? This will take partisanship
to a whole new level in the legislature. I bet certain GOPers are already
on the phone to the Justice Dept. begging them to indict Lowell and Roger for something.
Comment by brian — August 15, 2007 @ 5:03 pm
LOL, Brian.
Anonymous #1, I have been reassured by an attendee that there were definitely enough Democratic legislators, particularly House members, to have a meeting. Many of the Senate members came over from another conference down the beach that was sponsored by the trial lawyers.
Comment by Danny — August 15, 2007 @ 6:16 pm
I hope they make redistricting a priority during the 2008 session
I live in an unbalanced district that is so gerrymandered
as to be absurd.
Comment by Jim — August 15, 2007 @ 6:18 pm
Jim, if you think the Dems are going to make anything less gerrymandered you’re most
likely in for a surprise. Barron, Bedford, Mitchem, Figures, Sanders, and the whole
crew are going to focus on trying to redraw the 3rd District (Mike Rogers, R) so that
it is even more favorable for the Democrats. They felt they should have that seat anyway
bur after Joe Turnham in ‘02, no one has even come close to making a run for it. There
has been talk of putting West Montgomery (which is 99% black and currenly in the the
second district) in Rogers’ district. This would add 50,000 or so black voters and would
make things more difficult for Republicans.
Again, this is all pure speculation and nothing is certain, I’m sure. Only rumors as
of now.
Comment by John — August 15, 2007 @ 6:26 pm
[…] A Democrat privy to discussions on potential re-districting has told the Political Parlor that much of the talk has centered around protecting the Senate. […]
Pingback by Where Would Dems Redraw Lines? » Doc’s Political Parlor — August 27, 2007 @ 10:11 am
I’m giving you a tip now .GO FOR BRIGHT!!IF he runs either party he will be hard to beat.
Comment by Tipper — November 11, 2007 @ 7:46 pm