Dems’ re-redistricting plans suffer a major setback

Those of us who’ve been hoping that Dems will give Republicans a dose of their own re-redistricting medicine may need to wait quite a bit longer: Illinois, the most likely target for these efforts, has been effectively taken off the table.

Illinois Democrats on Capitol Hill said Wednesday they have essentially shut the door on revisiting the state’s Congressional map as a means of retaliation for GOP-led redistricting efforts elsewhere in the country, citing a lack of consensus here and back home on how to proceed.

In holding their fire, Land of Lincoln Democrats also said they wanted to make a statement that they are above recent Republican efforts in Texas, Colorado and Georgia to redraw Congressional boundaries at will.

[After a meeting of nine of the delegation’s 10 Democrats, Rep. Jerry Costello (D-Ill.)] said, “Just because this was done in Texas doesn’t make it right.”

This really seems to miss the point. Costello’s concerned about doing what’s right, and for that, he should be applauded. At the same time, Republicans in Texas, Colorado, and Georgia have no interest in doing what’s right — and they’re the ones gaining seats.

Rahm Emanuel, who’d been working behind the scenes to rally support for the re-redistricting idea, told Roll Call that “Democrats wanted to send a message by taking the high road.” But what, exactly, is that message and who’s going to hear it?

Republicans, who care little about which road they take so long as they’re winning, have no qualms about re-redistricting. It’s an underhanded, nefarious tactic, which they embrace wholeheartedly when it suits their purposes. They do so because they believe they can get away with it — and Dems are “sending a message” that these assumptions are absolutely correct.

On the other hand, at least Dems haven’t taken their legal options off the table entirely.

In their first unified display of opposition to the mid-decade redistricting effort under way in Georgia, Democrats in the state’s Congressional delegation penned a warning letter to state GOP leaders Wednesday, vowing an aggressive Voting Rights Act challenge if the remap proceeds.

Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), the dean of the Georgia Democrats, said the letter from the delegation makes it clear they oppose the redistricting effort and questions its legality.

He said GOP officials have redrawn the lines to “dilute the influence of African Americans,” and said Georgia Members are “putting them on notice” that they will take them to court if they move forward.

“It is important we are unified,” Lewis said Wednesday. “This proposed map violates the spirit of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.” He added: “If we have to go to court, we are going to.”

First of all, a mean letter won’t faze Georgia’s Republicans. If they were concerned about drawing Dems’ ire, they wouldn’t have taken up re-redistricting in the first place.

Second of all, a lawsuit based on the Voting Rights Act will be an uphill climb. Republicans specifically steered clear of the Georgia districts represented by African-American lawmakers, and redrew the map with the law in mind.

Georgia Dems lack the political means to stop the scheme, won’t get any help from the Justice Department, and may not find a recourse in the courts. If Republicans believed there would be political consequences — i.e., re-redistricting in Blue states — they may have second thoughts, but now that Dems have backed off on retaliation, Georgia’s scheme is effectively a done deal.