Governor Poizner's Interest in Redistricting Not the Same as Governor Schwarzenegger

By Bill Cavala
December 10, 2007


Insurance Commissioner Poizner has adroitly chosen Prop 93 - the proposed modification in California’s "term limit" restriction - as his bridge to the conservative wing of the Republican Party. By supplying money to the 'no' side, Poizner pleases conservatives without hurting himself with voters (who could care less about term limits). He should now think seriously about opposing the Schwarzenegger redistricting proposal - it would remove redistricting from the Legislative process and give it to a good government commission.

Conservative lawmakers would then not need a Republican Governor to protect them in the process, or whose veto would send the decision to a Republican Court. In 1989, conservative Republican lawmakers actively recruited moderate Pete Wilson to leave the U.S. Senate and to run for Governor. They didn't like Wilson's ideology, but they needed to win because of the 1991 redistricting.

The plan worked. Wilson was elected. He opposed all plans proposed by the Democrats. He submitted a plan himself to the Court, but the Court finally drew its own plan - and the Republicans took over the State Assembly three years later. Redistricting unified the G.O.P. behind Pete Wilson, an otherwise controversial Republican.

Poizner could achieve the same benefit in 2010, unless redistricting is handed over to a commission. The proposed Commission would remove the Governor from the process, removing at the same time the hammer it provides the Governor vis-a-vis the Legislature. Not surprising that Schwarzenegger - whose time perspective extends only to 2010 - would give up the authority of his successor for his own, short term benefit.

If Poizner had half a brain, he'd be saying the proposal was backward. That a Commission should redistrict Congress, but that current process should be retained for the Legislature.

Bill Cavala was Deputy Director of the Assembly Speaker's Office of Member Services where he worked for over 30 years.

He attended undergraduate and graduate school in the 1960's and received a doctorate in political science at UC Berkeley. He taught political science at UC Berkeley during the 1970's while he worked part-time for the State Assembly.

Cavala left teaching at UC Berkeley and went to work for Assembly Speaker Willie Brown in 1981 until his tenure as Speaker ended in 1995, and he has worked for his five successors as Speaker up to and including Speaker Fabian Nunez.

Mr. Cavala manages election campaigns for Democratic candidates.