NM Re-redistricting?

Texas dust-up might bring redistricting mud in N.M.

Hal Rhodes

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Worse, DeLay's games are the sort two can play. Richardson has said he doesn't want to reopen New Mexico's reapportionment wars. And, while he amended that position last week to indicate that events in Texas have persuaded him to leave the possibility open, Lt. Gov. Diane Denish believes "the governor remains reluctant to support (congressional) redistricting" - or re-redistricting, if you will.

But not all Democrats feel that way. State Senate President Richard Romero argues that, with Democrats now in charge of the Legislature and the Governor's Office, the state's congressional districts can and should be redrawn to his party's advantage. Democrats outregister Republicans in New Mexico, he notes, yet only one of the state's House seats is occupied by a Democrat.

Romero was the Dems' U.S. House District 1 nominee in 2002 and could be again in 2004. And, in fact, he tried to begin the process of congressional re-redistricting at this year's session. That effort fizzled for want of sufficient support in the Legislature. But, lately, other legislative Democrats, including House Speaker Ben Lujan, have shown some interest in the idea.

New Mexico's current House districts were drawn by the courts, he notes, "because the governor (Republican Gary Johnson) wouldn't sign the plan we (the Legislature) sent him." But he adds: "The court left it open that we (the Legislature) could come back with our own redistricting plan, and Mr. DeLay needs to know that once Republicans start something like this in Texas, then other states can do it also."

more...http://www.abqtrib.com/archives/opinions03/080603_opinions_hal.shtml

This would be good for our 2004 House chances (+1 or +2), but I'm extremely hesitant to support re-redistricting because of the mess it causes. Still, maybe one occurence would be acceptable to offset CO.

I think that re-districting wars are some of the ugliest politics we have in this country, and I hate watching them happen. That being said, I do think that sometimes it's necessary to fight fire with fire. What happened in Colorado? (I've been hearing about Texas, and from my understanding the Democrats have so far been able to successfully ward off an attempt to "re-redistrict".

which made CO-7, the closest 2002 race in the country, a seat which strongly favors Repukes. The Fruitcake (McInnis)'s seat (CO-3) was also shored up.