Can Dems win seat at table for redistricting?

By Peggy Fikac
September 28, 2009

AUSTIN - The coming months will tell whether Democrats can influence redistricting and thus policy-making for the next decade - or if they'll blow it.

The state House, which with a 76-74 GOP majority could go either way in 2010, is key. But it's only part of the story, because the GOP's expected to keep a state Senate majority.

If senators and House members don't agree on legislative redistricting in 2011 to reflect the census, the Legislative Redistricting Board steps in.

And that's the big rub for Democrats.

The board consists of the lieutenant governor, speaker, attorney general, comptroller and land commissioner - all held now by Republicans.

If Democrats win the House and elect a Democratic speaker, that'll give them a board seat. But so far, there's precious little evident Democratic interest in statewide offices on the board, except for Barbara Ann Radnofsky's attorney general pitch.

Democrats say it's early: They won't know which incumbents will make a move until Republican U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison resigns as promised to focus on challenging Gov. Rick Perry.

State lawmakers also are to draw new U.S. congressional districts. If they don't, that issue goes to federal court, bypassing the board.

But a GOP-controlled board shaped both district maps at this decade's start. First it drew legislative districts allowing Republicans to take over the state House. Thus armed, state GOP leaders and lawmakers pleased then-U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay in 2003 by reopening court-drawn congressional redistricts.

What was a 17-15 Democratic majority in Texas' congressional delegation is now a 20-12 Republican majority. Texas is expected to gain three to four congressional seats next time.

Democrats since have regained state House ground, and both sides are girding for battle.

GOP Rep. Phil King of Weatherford, leading an effort to expand the GOP's state House majority, called redistricting an "exceptionally critical" element that will largely determine whether the Legislature is conservative or liberal.

Texas Democratic Party spokeswoman Kirsten Gray said "of course" the redistricting board is important to Democrats: "We're committed to fielding a strong ticket so Texans aren't drawn into a GOP-favored map that drowns out the voices of too many Texans."

When filing ends in early January, we'll know if Democrats have fielded those strong candidates. If not, their hopes may lie with the U.S. Justice Department, which must OK plans from lawmakers or the board. For the first time since the 1968 Voting Rights Act, they note it's under a Democratic administration during redistricting .

After that, Democrats can only look toward growth they expect with Texas' changing face and a theoretical chance at their own DeLay-style redistricting before the next census.