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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Nadine Carroll who wrote (40245)	4/20/2004 1:56:24 PM
From: LindyBill	Respond to of 793958

This does it, folks. Texas is now "rock ribbed Republican." Unfortunately, they are the "Social Conservative" type. High Court Upholds Texas Redistricting By William Branigin Washington Post Staff Writer Tuesday, April 20, 2004; Page A04 The Supreme Court yesterday upheld a lower court ruling that allowed a controversial redistricting plan in Texas, effectively handing Republicans a victory in their efforts to maintain a GOP majority in the U.S. House of Representatives in the November elections. At issue in the appeal was whether a GOP maneuver that allowed the Texas legislature to approve the new congressional districts violated the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965. Other Democratic appeals are pending, including a major one charging that the new districts themselves violate the Voting Rights Act by alienating minorities. The justices' decision yesterday summarily affirmed without comment a ruling in September by a court in Laredo, Tex., which rejected a lawsuit that sought to bar the Texas Senate from enacting redistricting legislation by a simple-majority vote. The lawsuit argued that a change from the body's traditional two-thirds majority requirement for redistricting plans needed prior federal approval under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act. The new districts, pushed through the Texas legislature after a lengthy standoff with Democrats, are aimed at improving Republicans' electoral chances, possibly allowing them to pick up six or seven House seats and gain a majority of the Texas delegation. The state's 32 House seats are now split evenly between Republicans and Democrats. Political analysts have said the new boundaries could hand the GOP a 22 to 10 or 23 to 9 edge after the November elections, giving Texas the largest Republican voting bloc in Congress. In January, the Supreme Court declined to hear an emergency appeal from Democrats, clearing the way for this year's congressional elections to go ahead under the new district boundaries. The districts were redrawn by Republican leaders in Texas and Washington, including House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.). Democrats had charged that they break up minority communities and merge them into largely conservative, white districts. Last December, the Justice Department approved the redistricting plan, ruling that it did not violate the Voting Rights Act and could be used in the November 2004 elections. The case is Barrientos v. Texas, No. 03-756. © 2004 The Washington Post Company