WA STATE DEMOCRATS GO FOR THE KILL SHOT WITH LATEST BLATANT GERRYMANDERING

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Mar 23, 2024

The redrawn 17th District would extend into Klickitat County, past Goldendale. This map shows the major changes to legislative districts in red, around the state. Graphic courtesy Jim Walsh

Below is a partial re-print with permission of a March 21, 2024, article written by Clark County GOP State Committeeman John Ley For Clark County Today

Nikki Torres, a Latino Washington State Senator in the 15th District has been drawn out of her district by a federal judge. The new map alters boundaries on 13 of the state’s 49 legislative districts including the 17th District in east Clark County. This came about because of alleged racism against Latino voters centered around Yakima.

Judge Robert Lasnik, of the US District Court for the Western District of Washington, ordered the adoption of a redistricting map that impacts 12 Republicans and one Democrat. The adopted map redistricts out several current Republican lawmakers ahead of the 2024 general election.

In Clark County, the 20th District boundary is extended farther south, carving out some of the current 17th District. To make up for that reduction in voters, the 17th is extended into a significant part of Klickitat County going all the way to Goldendale. It also changes the voting characteristics from a Republican-leaning district to a Democrat-leaning district.

Senator Torres calls the judge’s actions a “mockery of the Voting Rights Act.” She added: “This map DISENFRANCHISES Hispanics – all to help the Democratic party gain seats towards a supermajority in the legislature.”

“The Voting Rights Act was supposed to empower affected minority populations,” she wrote. “This map DECREASES the number of Hispanics in the Majority Minority district and redistricts out the first Hispanic Senator in Eastern Washington history.”

CURRENT MAP:

PROPOSED NEW MAP:

Jim Walsh, Washington State Republican Party chair blasted the Judge’s decision saying: “WA voters should be disturbed by the opinion issued from federal Judge Robert Lasnik in the matter of WA’s recent legislative redistricting plan,” he said “The opinion is a heavy-handed, partisan usurpation of the Washington Redistricting Commission’s lawful and orderly work.”

Representation in the 17th District was already changing. Sen. Lynda Wilson announced she was retiring earlier this month. Rep. Paul Harris announced he would run for Wilson’s Senate seat, leaving an open seat in the House.

“This redistricting represents a blatant undermining of fair voter representation,” said Hannah Joy who recently filed to run in the 17th District. “It clearly disenfranchises minorities and threatens the 17th District’s unique rural communities.”

Among the elected representatives drawn out of their current districts is Republican Rep. Gina Mosbrucker. She is now in the redrawn 17th District. According to data on Dave’s Maps — the new 17th is 50.9 % Democrat and 47.7 % Republican (based on 2016 to 2022 voting patterns).

Below are the known impacts of the Lasnik map on Washington state, according to Senator Torres.

LOWERS the numbers of Hispanics from the current 52.6% to 50.2% (comparing LD’s 14 and 15).
Moves the first eastern Washington Latina elected Senator – Senator Nikki Torres – from the district which she won handily into a wholly new district with another incumbent Republican Senator – LD 16.
Redistricts out Sen. Curtis King (LD 14).
Redistricts out Sen. Brad Hawkins (LD 12).
Likely redistricts out three Republican House members.
Eliminates the Yakima Valley district that is a “toss-up” swing district (+1.8% GOP) and packs the other Yakima Valley district, which is already heavily Republican (+9.4% GOP), with more Republicans (+21.7% GOP). This allows the “toss-up” district to become solidly Democrat (+12%).
Transforms a SW Washington district (LD 17) and another central Washington district (LD 12) into much more competitive districts for Democrats.
Makes a massive disruption of people throughout the state. More than 500,000 people are moved affecting 13 districts – 12 of which are Republican and 1 Democrat. In comparison, the intervenors offered a map with around 80,000 people moved in only three districts. The intervenor map was rejected. Legally, maps are supposed to make the minimal changes needed to remedy the violation.

WA State Democratic Party Chair Shasti Conrad signaled last fall that her goal was for her party to have a supermajority in the legislature so they could alter the state constitution. In a posting on X (formerly Twitter) she said: “With supermajorities, we can clean up the constitution! My goal for 2026!”

The Washington State Republican Party has filed an Appeal with the 9th Circuit Court. They hope to get a stay, stopping the current map from being implemented until the appeal can be heard.

The new map is the result of a lawsuit filed on behalf of the UCLA Voting Rights Project, alleging that 2021 redistricting efforts somehow diluted Latino electoral influence in the Yakima Valley.

Under the new map, Torres would need to move into the redrawn 15th to seek re-election. Or she could move into the newly drawn 14th district and run this year. A third option is she could challenge fellow Republican Sen. Perry Dozier of Waitsburg who is up for reelection in the 16th district this year.

The new map splits Wenatchee and East Wenatchee. Sen. Brad Hawkins, R-East Wenatchee, who represents the 12th District, finds himself in the 7th District now served by Republican Sen. Shelly Short.

Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima, represents the former 14th district but is now in the 15th district. His term expires this year. It wasn’t immediately clear Friday if he would relocate to run.

In the House, Republican Reps. Chris Corry of Yakima and Gina Mosbrucker of Goldendale, who currently represent the 14th district, would both be in new districts. Corry would be in the 15th and Mosbrucker in the 17th.

Walsh says: “the motion for a stay is being considered on an emergency, fastrack basis.” Lawyers are filing pro and con arguments this week. They expect a decision next week, “At the same time,” Walsh said, “all sides are gearing up for a long, hard appeals process, and the US Supreme Court involvement is not out of the question.”

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Let’s Be Clear: Nikki Torres is a very popular Latina, with an extensive community service and civic record that includes serving as president of the Tri-Cities Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and election to the Pasco City Council. In the 2022 State Senate race, Republican Nikki Torres won 67% of the vote, easily beating her Democrat opponent. This is not about Latina representation; it is about future Democrat control of the region and state!

AUDIO PODCAST OF THIS ARTICLE

Bill Bruch

Bill Bruch is the WA State GOP Election Integrity Chairman, WAGOP Executive Board Member, 4-Term Skagit County GOP Chairman, Citizen Journalist, Blogger, Business Owner, “2021 Citizen Activist of the Year” award recipient by the Olympic Conference, 2020 WA State House Representative Candidate, Former Council Member, and WA State 2016 RNC National Convention Delegate.

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