You’d think with all the time Republicans in the Texas Legislature had to just wait around for the Democrats to come back from New Mexico, they would have figured out exactly how they wanted to proceed on their absurd plan to re-redistrict.
Much to my surprise (and glee), they haven’t.
After months of intense partisan wrangling, the Democrats are in the state, at work, and ready to put up a fight over the re-redistricting scheme pushed from afar by Tom DeLay. There’s only one problem — the Republicans are now fighting amongst themselves over how to redraw the lines.
Once again disproving the myth of Republican competence, GOP leaders in Austin can’t find agreement between Texas House and Texas Senate versions of the newly redrawn district map, despite Republican majorities in both chambers.
To be sure, the Republicans agree that they can and should redraw the map and make it nearly impossible for six Democratic members of the U.S. House to get re-elected next year. The Texas House passed its version this week, ignoring the objections of Dems.
But a handful of moderate Republicans in the Texas Senate believe the House’s version of the map is unacceptable and they’re saying so publicly. Tom DeLay sat down with GOP leaders in the legislature to get this worked out, but even he couldn’t get his fellow Republicans to agree.
Of all the potential outcomes of the Texas re-redistricting controversy, this is the one scenario I didn’t see coming. Don’t Republicans in state legislatures always act in lock-step? Did these guys miss the memo?
As State Rep. Jim Dunnam (D) told reporters this week, “How can you go nine months and spend $5 million and not have a (GOP) map?”
Good question.