Redistricting: Political games still being played

Local News

January 20, 2012

By Ronnie Ellis CNHI News Service The Richmond Register Fri Jan 20, 2012, 08:15 AM EST

FRANKFORT — The political games have been played by both parties and both chambers; scores have been settled. Minorities in both the state House and state Senate are outraged by the new districts the minority party in their chamber pushed through.

But neither gets any help from their party which holds the majority in the opposite chamber, so House Bill 1, which contains new districts for state legislative and judicial seats but not congressional districts, has gone to the governor for his signature.

Leadership from both the Democratic-controlled House and Republican-controlled Senate were holed up behind the office doors of Democratic Speaker Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg, on Thursday trying to hammer out an agreement on the congressional plan.

Stumbo and the Democratic House want to make the First more compact by moving Daviess to that district from the Second and making the Fifth more of a “mountain district” by moving Carter, Boyd, Bath, Powell and Estill from the Fourth to the Fifth.

The Republican Senate plan keeps the First as it is with the addition of Taylor, thus preserving the oddly shaped tail which wraps around the second, and makes the Fifth more friendly for Republican Hal Rogers. It also makes the Sixth, held by Democrat Ben Chandler, a bit more Republican by moving some Democratic counties to the Fifth and moving all of Scott County into the Sixth.

But the talk Thursday was about the state legislative plans. Both chambers got creative so as to combine incumbents and in a couple of cases eliminate districts for incumbents.

“It’s taking gerrymandering to a whole new level,” said Sen. Jerry Rhoads, D-Madisonville, who saw his district combined with the home county of fellow Democrat Dorsey Ridley of Henderson. “It’s the worst it’s ever been.”

Sen. Walter Blevins, D-Morehead, was moved into an elongated, north-south district which stretches from Rowan County to Knox County along with Republican Floor Leader Robert Stivers of Manchester. Blevins said the district is more than 200 miles long and, as yet, he doesn’t know what he’ll do.

“I’m just not sure right now what’s best for me or for my district,” Blevins said. “I don’t know what I’ll do, but it’s an uphill battle. It’s tough to lose before you even run.”

Democrat Kathy Stein of Lexington had her district renumbered. The 13th Senate district, which was downtown Lexington when Stein was elected, now covers eight rural counties in northeast Kentucky, from Harrison to Lewis, from Mason to Montgomery. The district in which she lives is now the Fourth, held by Ridley — from Henderson.

But Stein can’t run for the Fourth at least this year because only odd-numbered Senate districts are on the ballot. And she can’t run for the 13th because she doesn’t live in that district now. Stein wouldn’t rule out a legal challenge.

“A lawsuit is always an option, but as an attorney you have to have good faith when doing it,” said Stein. “I’m not saying it’s off the table.”

Stein wouldn’t say what her political plans might be now. Asked if she’d consider running for her old House seat, she said Rep. Kelly Flood, D-Lexington, “has been duly elected” by the people of that district.

Over in the House, there has been talk of legal action. Rep. Joe Fischer, R-Ft. Thomas, filed suit over re-distracting in the 1990s and won and some think he may do so again.

Senate Minority Leader, R.J. Palmer, D-Winchester, said there are possible constitutional issues such as making it impossible for Stein to run and perhaps a variation form the 5 percent deviation rule set down by the courts in response to Fischer’s suit in the 90s. Palmer said the new Eighth Senate District has more than a 5 percent deviation from the ideal population size.

Both chambers passed the plan pretty much along party lines with one Democratic Senator and five Republican Representatives voting for it.

Ronnie Ellis writes for CNHI News Service and is based in Frankfort. Reach him at rellis@cnhi.com. Follow CNHI News Service stories on Twitter at www.twitter.com/cnhifrankfort.

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Redistricting: Political games still being played

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