Redistricting a win for Democrats
July 20, 2011
Gov. Jerry Brown and Democrats in the Legislature were frustrated this year in seeking Republican votes to close the state’s budget deficit by asking voters to OK billions of dollars in tax extensions. [FresnoBee]
Brown was unable to garner support from at least two Republicans in both houses that he needed for the two-thirds majorities required to pass the special election constitutional amendment.
As the months-long talks collapsed, Democrats said they’d try to pick up enough seats in the 2012 elections to secure two-thirds margins, thereby cutting the GOP out of future tax issues. And the redistricting plans now nearing approval by the new independent redistricting commission could set the stage for achieving that goal, either in 2012 or in 2014, the Fresno Bee said.
A public review of the draft maps is slated for later this week with a final map planned in August.
Analysts on both sides of the political aisle have plumbed the new maps for their political content – a factor the commission is not supposed to be considering – and agree they would give Democrats a very strong opportunity to win 27 Senate seats and 54 in the Assembly, two-thirds margins in both houses, the Fresno Bee added.
In 2012, all 80 Assembly seats will be up plus half of the 40 Senate seats. The remainder will be on the ballot in 2014.
The state Republican Party is threatening to challenge the maps via a referendum.
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