(FreedomBeacon.com)- Democratic Governor of Kansas Lara Kelly earlier this month vetoed a new congressional map backed by Republicans in the state legislature and called for a “bipartisan” map to be drawn up instead.
The proposed map, which was known as Ad Astra 2, would have hurt the chances of the only congressional Democrat from the state, Rep. Sharice Davids, to be re-elected in November this year. However, the map was not designed to make it more difficult. Instead, the map ensures that residents of the state are represented equally.
In a statement, Governor Kelly said that there are several alternative solutions that would “allow for the same deviation as Ad Astra 2” while at the same time “protecting the core of the existing congressional districts without diluting minority communities’ voting strength.”
She said that she was ready and willing to work with Republican legislators on a bipartisan map.
In January, Republican lawmakers passed the map in a 79-37 vote in the state House of Representatives and by a substantial 26-9 majority in the Senate. It’s a clear victory for the map, with a lot of support, by the Democratic governor who chose to veto it and force change.
Republicans argue that the map is actually reflective of what members of the public have said to legislators.
Republican legislators in the state responded to Kelly’s criticism by stating that it was “reflective of the testimony” that they receive from the public and that it has “zero deviation between Congressional districts, creates compact and contiguous districts, preserves existing district cores, and groups together communities of interest.”
Instead of thinking about the best ways to preserve the seat of the only Congressional Democrat in the state, shouldn’t the Democrats be thinking of ways to improve their representation of the people of Kansas?
Kansas has four Congressional districts, three of which are represented by Republicans.
