It's not easy being gray.
Despite having control of the statehouse, the governor's office and a majority of Texas' seats in Congress, the party of the grand old elephant is acting more like a herd of cats when it comes to remapping congressional districts based on 2010 Census numbers.This lack of leadership means redistricting almost certainly will get fought out in the courts less than eight years after that mid-decade conflagration.Several suits have been filed. That includes one that U.S. Rep. Joe Barton, R-Arlington, took to a Corsicana judge's house at 12:01 a.m. last Sunday, the Corsicana Daily Sun reported.In an emailed statement, Barton said, "I believe filing a lawsuit in a venue that is fair-minded was the only way to protect the voters of Texas and ensure there is a Congressional map that meets the needs and rights of everyone."But expect more suits. Redistricting is a matter of fairness and following the law, not first-come, first-served.Revising congressional districts ought to be simpler, given the sophisticated technology available. It might be, if the right factors drove things: giving voting districts close to the same population; making them compact, without snaking arms or curious hooks; respecting natural boundaries; keeping precincts intact and communities of interest together.But when it comes to political representation and politicians' jobs, well, politics drives things.Whichever party's in power wants to stay there and gain more. Whichever groups feel powerless aim to get a better foothold. Under the federal Voting Rights Act, electoral voices can't be diluted based on race or language, so minority groups push for influence.During the past decade, Hispanics accounted for most of the state's population growth, and a large question is how many new districts might empower Hispanic voters, who often lean toward Democrats.Texas officials in Austin and Washington have talked about redistricting being the Legislature's job, but lawmakers sure didn't walk that talk. Republicans didn't even forcefully advocate for a preferred plan to include Texas' four new seats in the U.S. House (for a total of 36).That's because they're all over the map on the remap.Politico.com reported that a map favored by Barton wouldn't create a Hispanic-influence district for North Texas, but one being worked on by state Rep. Lamar Smith would. Meanwhile, GOP House members worried how they'd fare in each scheme.Gov. Rick Perry halfheartedly told legislators in the waning days to get redistricting done. It's unclear whether he'll call a special session for it. The Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call reported the governor isn't inclined to help out the congressional delegation given that many members backed Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison's run against him in last year's GOP primary.State Rep. Marc Veasey, a Fort Worth Democrat, unveiled a plan that would align the southeast Tarrant County neighborhoods he represents with part of Arlington and southwest Dallas instead of the rambling north-south district extending into Denton County that Republicans drew in 2003 to oust influential Democratic Rep. Martin Frost.Barton's suit wasn't the first one and could get consolidated with others yet to come and even be heard elsewhere than Corsicana. A three-judge federal panel has been named in a suit in San Antonio, though the federal courts usually hold off until state courts rule.The 2001 redistricting was bruising and left Republicans holding grudges over the Democratic-leaning map. With then-U.S. House Speaker Tom DeLay calling the shots, Republicans got revenge in 2003 with a plan that tossed several Democrats from Congress.If lawmakers dislike this business as much as they act, you'd think they'd gravitate toward Republican Sen. Jeff Wentworth's perennial proposal for a bipartisan redistricting commission. All it got this session was out of committee, 9-5. Too bad Republican leaders couldn't herd the troops on that idea.Have more to add? News tip? Tell us
