POLITICO.COM : New redistricting Map for Texas : Democrats could capture three of the four new seats Texas is gaining in the current round of reapportionment - The New Map will go to the U. S. Supreme Court for a decision

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The 2010 Census is giving Texas four new seas in the U. S. House of Representatives, the new map may give Democrats and Latinos a boost in next elections.

Republicans will file an emergency application for stay at the U.S. Supreme Court to prevent any election from taking place under this proposed map.

POLITICO.COM
Court won't block new Texas map
By ALEX ISENSTADT
November 25, 2011


Court won't block new Texas map


Some excerpts :

A federal court has turned down a GOP-led effort to thwart a proposed new Texas congressional map, a decision that will send the state’s line-drawing process to the U.S. Supreme Court.

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The court-proposed map positions Democrats to gain as many as three congressional seats in Texas, dealing a sharp blow to Republicans who had hoped the state would help solidify their new majority.

Under the plan, Democrats could capture three of the four new seats Texas is gaining in the current round of reapportionment, and would be positioned to compete against one of the state’s freshman Republicans, Rep. Quico Canseco, whose southwestern Texas district would become considerably less GOP-friendly.

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The court-drafted map is a devastating reversal for Republicans, whose map would have positioned the GOP to win three of the state’s new seats and would have allowed each of the party’s 23 incumbents to run in safe districts.

“This is a big win for Democrats and minority groups in Texas,” said Matt Angle, director of the Texas Justice Fund, which helped craft the legal strategy combating the GOP plan.

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Another major win for Democrats: The interim plan would enable Rep. Lloyd Doggett and state Rep. Joaquin Castro to run for separate districts – each of which would be safe. Under the Republican plan, the two Democrats would have to run against each other in a primary for a San Antonio-area seat.

Canseco is likely to emerge as a top Democratic target. The freshman Republican has already drawn a top-tier Democratic foe in state Rep. Pete Gallego.

Several other Republican-held districts would also be less safe under the interim plan. Veteran GOP Rep. Joe Barton would see his seat grow less Republican-friendly, as would the Galveston-area seat held by retiring GOP Rep. Ron Paul.

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