California voters must demand redistricting reform

THE FRESNO BEE

February 26, 2006

Back before the politicians devised a legal way to fix elections, congressional races kept most people in the San Joaquin Valley interested in politics, even during the triple-digit heat of summer when smarter Valley folks fled to the cooler air of the coast.

It was a time when an election meant something, and incumbents stayed in office only if they earned re-election.

Summer was crucial for challengers, as they raised money, developed talking points and gathered supporters for the final months of the campaign.

That's how Democrat Cal Dooley and Republican George Radanovich got elected to Congress. Both knocked off veteran House members.

But that scenario has little chance of playing out today because of a redistricting system in California that protects incumbents in ways that are offensive in a democracy.

The only time a congressional seat changes hands now is when an incumbent voluntarily steps down. Dooley retired last year and Rep. Jim Costa, D-Fresno, succeeded him in the Democratic district.

Heading for likely second term

Unless Costa does something really stupid, it's doubtful that he can be beaten by a Republican. Incumbents now are only accountable to party leaders and the special interests who give them money just in case an upstart challenger gets too close for comfort.

Radanovich, R-Mariposa, has been testing the protective-shield theory the past several years by not spending much time in his district. He understood that Democrats had little chance of defeating him, even if he seldom ventured back to California .

Just keep the district PR machine churning out positive material, and the voters didn't much care where he spent his weekends. Radanovich's district twists through the Valley, avoiding voters that the computers say wouldn't be friendly to him.

Like other California representatives -- both Democrats and Republicans -- the system essentially guarantees re-election. If President Bush really wants to promote democracy, he could start in California .

Surprisingly, though, the Democrats think they have a candidate this year who can defeat Radanovich. A competitive congressional race would be good for the Valley, but it seems they haven't been paying attention.

Here are four important words that anyone involved in political campaigns should have tattooed to their foreheads: The elections are fixed.

Still, Democrat T.J. Cox has begun an aggressive campaign against Radanovich, who has become very comfortable in Congress during his six terms.

But just for insurance purposes, the congressman has made several recent trips to the Valley. Radanovich doesn't want to push the incumbent protection theory too far.

He might be the exception this year if he doesn't tend to business. Consider how embarrassing the conversation with party bosses would be: "Ah, well, Mr. Speaker, I thought you meant I didn't have to do any campaigning to get re-elected."

Supporters of Cox, a chemical engineer and business owner from Fresno , rave about him, and say he might put $1 million of his own money into this race. Now that would really be dumb. If he's going to do that, you have to question his judgment.

Don't count on an upset

Cox might make Radanovich work more than he's used to -- and that would definitely be good for the coasting congressman -- but don't plan on an upset in this race.

It could have been different in this district and others around California . But last year, voters killed Proposition 77, which would have taken the redistricting process away from the Legislature and created an independent commission to draw district boundaries.

Incumbents of both parties fought the measure. They knew that a fair system would make them accountable to voters.

Need proof? Liberal Congressman Howard Berman and conservative Congressman John Doolittle teamed up to lead the effort by California House members to defeat Proposition 77.

Gerrymandered districts have been around for a long time, but the California Legislature made a mockery of it in 2001. Both parties in California decided not to compete in the seats they already held.

It worked. There were 153 legislative and congressional seats on the ballot in California in 2004 and not one changed parties.

The 23rd Congressional District is one of the best examples of the redistricting abuse.

The district is 200 miles long and snakes along the coast from Monterey to Ventura County to pick up neighborhoods where Democrats live and bypassing Republican voters.

It's time to fix this terrible system. But it will only happen if the public demands a change.

The politicians and the special interests killed redistricting reform last year because they don't think the public cares.

They are probably right, and that's too bad.

---

Jim Boren is The Fresno Bee's editorial page editor. His column appears Sunday.

E-mail him at jboren@fresnobee.com or write him at 1626 E St., Fresno 93786.

Memo: JIM BOREN

Edition: FINAL
Section: VISION
Page: E3

Index Terms: 2/27/2006

Record Number: 0415955510