New Kansas Congressional and Legislative Maps Released

[LonePirate]

http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2012/jun/08/lawrence-placed-entirely-2nd-district-under-congre/

http://media.lawrence.com/news/documents/2012/06/08/01-m5_districtcourt-congress-statewide.PDF

The three federal judges presiding over the state's redistricting case have released the new congressional and legislative maps. Are these final or can the judges' decision be appealed by Kobach or other wingnuts?

I don't know how the state House and Senate maps will affect the current party breakdown of the seats. Hopefully we can inch our numbers up just enough to eliminate the super majority status the Rs currently hold.

The new congressional maps are probably as good as Democrats could expect since Topeka, Lawrence and Kansas City have not been split between two or more districts. Jenkins probably has it a little tougher in the 2nd under the new map. We would need a very strong Dem challenger and a huge Dem turnout for Obama in November to have a chance to reclaim this seat. The same goes for Yoder in the 3rd, although he's probably more vulnerable than Jenkins, if that's possible.

I don't think these maps make it any more difficult for Kansas Dems and some days that's good enough. Agreements or disagreements?

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. Just got this email:

It is nothing short of jaw-dropping. As I read and re-read the decision in the early morning hours, I wondered if I was really awake or just dreaming. The Court's State House of Representatives map dramatically reshuffles the entire political card deck -- everywhere throughout the state. It creates 25 open House seats. And with no regard for incumbents, it leaves up to 100 legislators (before retirements) facing off against one another for re-election.

The Court has sent a clear message to the do-nothing Kansas Republican legislature. If it is going to waste the Court's time by failing to resolve its decennial duty of redistricting, incumbents will pay a price. It should be a clear incentive to future legislators to resolve redistricting instead of occupying the Court's time.

Secretary of State Kris Kobach is enjoined from accepting any paperwork regarding previous candidate filings. Instead, it requires that all candidate filings begin anew under the redrawn district lines.

The Court made no mention of changing the filing deadline, which is currently noon, Monday, June 11. This may change, but it hasn't yet.

If you are a candidate, aspiring candidate or county chair, the Kansas political landscape you woke up to this morning looks nothing like the one you thought you knew before you went to bed last night. A big job of filing candidates in the new districts stands before us. Paul Davis, Anthony Hensley and Joan Wagnon need your help. All hands on deck!

[RC]

2. How can this be anything but a good thing for Kansas?

I understand that Kansas is in need of workers to fill jobs that companies are begging to fill. Sounds good, till you find out Kansas is losing population because people can't survive in the current under paid job climate there and of the all around stupidity of the State T-bagger government.

[RKP5637]

5. Exactly! KS is more of a joke than a destination thanks to the State T-bagger government. Mention

KS to people in many parts of the country and they snicker at how ridiculous the state has become with the stupidity of the State T-bagger government. Even better salaries might not hack it the state's gotten such a bad reputation for RW baggers and RW religion.

[Fresh_Start]

3. a rather bold and admirable act by the court

but will this leave KS without a legislature?

[Judi Lynn]

4. Judges' redistricting ruling resets Kan. landscape

Judges' redistricting ruling resets Kan. landscape
JOHN HANNA, Associated Press
Updated 07:10 p.m., Friday, June 8, 2012

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas lawmakers scrambled Friday to adjust to a new political landscape after three federal judges redrew the state's voting districts and created more than two dozen open legislative seats and potential incumbent-on-incumbent matchups.

The judges released maps Thursday night that imposed new boundaries for congressional, state House, state Senate and State Board of Education districts because the Legislature failed to do so. The maps needed to be redrawn to account for population shifts over the last decade, but a bitter feud among Republicans blocked lawmakers' proposals, so a lawsuit was filed that forced the judges to step in.

In their 206-page order, the judges acknowledged that they were "pushing a re-set button" for legislative districts and imposing dramatically different boundaries — and the results stunned lawmakers.

The judges created four open Senate seats and 25 open House seats, while pairing up dozens of other legislators in districts that now have two incumbents each. Two House districts even have three incumbents each.

More:
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/article/Judges-redistricting-ruling-resets-Kan-landscape-3618220.php#ixzz1xFnTCesr