Redistricting Map Draws Ire from Dems, GOPs

Written By: ECJ Staff  |  Posted: Monday, August 1st, 2011

Republicans unveiled their new redistricting map on July 8th in light of the 2010 census requirements. Democrats are crying foul at the revised map's "gerrymandering", calling it a blatant power grab by Republicans. Republicans are pushing to have the district changes passed by the 19th, which will likely have happened by the time readers read this article.

The quick passage of the map is drawing criticism from Democrats who claim that the GOP is trying to influence the upcoming recall elections. Democratic Party chairman Mike Tate said, "How can they pretend this is a fair, representative map? This tells me the Republicans know they're going to lose the Senate." Republicans contend that they are only trying to do their job. "Republicans have been keeping our promises and getting the job done since day one. We started with jobs bills to improve the economy; we balanced the budget on time and turned a deficit into a surplus; and now we're fulfilling our constitutional requirement to properly reapportion the state's legislative and congressional districts," Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald (R-Horicon) and Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) said in a joint statement.

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