New redistricting map not 'for' rural East Texas

By LYNN MONTGOMERY | East Texas Edition

New Congressional Map Approved Oct. 12 Click on map for larger image

October 23, 2003 -- With the passage of the new congressional redistricting plan for Texas, most of the state representatives and senators interviewed agree on one thing: This is not best for rural East Texas.

"It will be very difficult to elect someone out of my rural area with over 250,000 votes in Dallas/Fort Worth," said State Sen. Bill Ratliff (R-Mount Pleasant).

State Rep. Barry Telford (D-De Kalb) said, "This map basically neutered Northeast Texas by moving so much of it into Dallas. What they (U.S. House Majority Leader Tom Delay and his followers) wanted to do was move it so that rural people aren't protected. The only thing protected was minorities, and there is a substantial minority vote in Max's (Sandlin) current district."

"The map adopted by the Legislature greatly impairs the opportunity for East Texans to elect their own to Congress. Deep East Texas as well as other rural areas will be at a huge disadvantage, and it's the people who live in these rural areas who lose," said Rep. Jim McReynolds (D-Lufkin) in an Oct. 13 press release.

State Rep. Chuck Hopson (D-Jacksonville) questioned, "I just don't understand why we can't have compact rural districts that represent East Texas, our values, and our way of life. I firmly believe that our priorities as a Legislature have been misplaced on this partisan issue, and we have an obligation to work on the real issues."

With the new congressional district map, Hopson's Cherokee County is in a district dominated by Dallas County, which comprises 50 percent of the population of the district. East Texas' Houston County would be in a district where 420,000 voters in Tarrant County make up 65 percent of the population.

Politics behind the lines

Congressman Max Sandlin (D-Marshall), reaffirmed earlier remarks by stating, "This is a partisan power play by Tom Delay and his cronies in Washington to strip all rural voters and minority voters to make sure their votes don't count."

The representatives added rural Texas has unique needs, which is another reason the map is not best for East Texas, the elected officials stated.

"We have unique needs in rural Texas. Without our own strong voice in Washington, our needs will be drowned by the clamor of the big city. We need someone in Congress who shares our values and understands our priorities when it comes to protecting our water, our timber, our farm and market road system, and our way of life.

"It's not a good day for Texas when communities of interest are destroyed for political gain. East Texans deserve to be represented by those they know and trust, not a congressman from a metroplex," McReynolds stated.

"East Texas will not be better off under this new map, and splitting apart our rural communities is simply not right. With Dallas and Fort Worth, these big cities will control the future of our part of East Texas, and dilute our voice in Washington," explained Hopson.

But, State Sen. Bob Deuell (R-Greenville) stated it is an "excellent map. It makes for a rural district and an excellent congressional district. ... Rockwall County is a very rural county, and Collin County is a mostly rural county," said Deuell, who voted for the map.

State Rep. Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola), who supports redistricting, voted against the map because it put Wood County in with the Dallas area, which is not what people in his county want.

Time table, realigned territories

The new congressional district plan's changes will be set if the map becomes effective in 90 days.

Ratliff's senate district (which consists of Bowie, Camp, Cass, Franklin, Gregg, Harrison, Lamar, Marion, Morris, Panola, Red River, Rusk, Titus, Wood, Upshur, and parts of Smith) would be realigned into three new congressional districts.

"The map is not good for the northern part of the area I represent, but it is for the southern part," Ratliff said.

One of the big changes would be to Sandlin's District 1, which currently stretches from Bowie County to Hunt County down to Nacogdoches County.

Under the new congressional map, Congressional District 1 would loose the northern sections of Sandlin's current district. The new district would have a portion of Cass County, along with Gregg, Harrison, Marion, Panola, Rusk, Upshur, parts of Smith, Nacogdoches, Sabine, San Augustine and Shelby counties; and pick up Angelina County.

The northern section would be added to become part of Congressional District 4, which falls under Congressman Ralph Hall.

Deuell added he felt Ralph Hall wouldn't have any problems being re-elected as the district's representative in Congress.

State Rep. Tommy Merritt (R-Longview) stated, I am for redistricting but not at the expense of loosing a distinguished public servant like Ralph Hall. I don't want incumbents like Ralph Hall to be replaced by freshmen.

"I believe if the right person (meaning Republican) runs, we can beat Sandlin. I would like more Republicans, but do not want our citizens to loose their representation to the city," Merritt continued.

Changes will also be made in Washington according to Sandlin.

"In the event the Republicans are successful, changes will be made in Washington," Sandlin said. "If I lose my seat, for example, I am on the Ways and Means Committee, that seat would probably go to Nevada. Charlie Stenholm is a ranking member of the Ag Committee, that seat would go to Minnesota. Martin Frost's seat would go to New York. Freshmen Republicans will come into Washington without any seniority."

Legal challenges

All of the representatives and senators contacted feel the new map will see its day in federal court. Already there has been several legal challenges filed against the new map.

One lawsuit was filed on behalf of three individuals from Cherokee County by Attorney Richard Gladden of Denton.

"The Texas Legislature did not have authority under federal or constitutional law to enact new congressional districts until after the next census in 2010. They had one shot and failed to draw new lines in 2001 and the federal courts have already drawn district lines. No residual power remains," Gladden said on Oct. 15.

"I'm 100 percent sure the new congressional districting statute will not make it through the courts," Gladden added.

"This has never been done before except by a court order," Sandlin said. "Delay won't be happy until Dallas/Fort Worth and Houston have the power. His goal is to be the (U.S.) Speaker of the House with a stack of 'yes' men in Congress for his extremists right wing agenda.

"I feel confident that not a court in the United States will approve this map," Sandlin added.

Congressman Jim Turner (D-Crockett), who is also confident, said in a Oct. 10 press release, "This map so clearly denies East Texas and other rural parts of the state the opportunity to be represented in the U.S. Congress, I am confident that it will be overturned in the federal courts."

Deuell said, "The lawsuits were expected because the Democrats are desperate."

State Rep. Barry Telford (D-De Kalb) said he had a "gut feeling" the new map would be approved by "(John) Ashcroft's justice department." Ashcroft is the U.S. Attorney General.

Deuell said, "The maps were pre-cleared by the Department of Justice."

As of Oct. 16, three lawsuits had been filed and more are expected.

"It will be a long time before this is over," Ratliff concluded.