Congressman Fleming says Shreveport and Monroe don't have much in common. He says he can represent part of Acadiana though.
The current redistricting plan favored by Republicans, and by the Governor, who had previously said "I know my boundaries" indicating he would stay out of the process, would maintain the two North Louisiana congressional districts and extend them southward across the "Pine Line" where the commonalities of place really do break apart.
The outline from Jindal, Alexander and Fleming would mean no major changes for that part of the state. Yet combined with changes to the majority African-American 2nd Congressional District based in New Orleans, it would dictate major changes everywhere else.
With the loss of a district statewide, the long-standing 4th and 5th districts would have to reach well into Acadiana, the capital region or even Lake Charles and Lafayette in order to reach the necessary 755,000 or so required residents. The 2nd District, meanwhile, would be expanded toward Baton Rouge to pick up enough residents and maintain majority non-white composition in compliance with federal law. Together, those parameters make it virtually impossible to draw the remaining three south Louisiana districts without displeasing at least one population center in the state.
Our best guess is that when Jindal said he knows his boundaries, what he meant was he knows which congressional boundaries he wants the legislature to draw. At the moment that likely means keeping the two North Louisiana districts, but also splitting Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes into separate districts. Which of course makes perfect sense as we know those areas have absolutely nothing in common.
No comments:
Post a Comment