The “final redistricting plan” called 1374 C is out and now the real fun part starts. A race to the federal courts, a plea to the Justice Department to either rule in favor or against the plan in that it violates the Voting Rights Act, and then the filling deadline sometime in January of 2004 The Republicans say this is a fair and balanced plan. The Democrats say it will cost at least one minority Democratic seat and will, according to the Quorum Report “likely leave five Democratic incumbents in un-winnable districts - Texas congressional leader Martin Frost (D-Dallas), Max Sandlin (D-Marshall), Jim Turner (D-Crockett), Nick Lampson (D-Beaumont), and Lloyd Doggett (D-Austin).

Additionally, Reps. Charlie Stenholm (D-Abilene), Ralph Hall (D-Rockwall) and Chet Edwards (D-Waco) can expect stiff Republican challenges.

The two new minority districts, the Republicans agreed, were District 9, currently held by Rep. Chris Bell (D-Houston), and District 25, an "open" seat in South and Central Texas”.

The Democrats argue that the Bell seat is not a new minority seat as Bell was already in a majority-minority seat. So by eliminating the other majority-minority seat held by Martin Frost you could argue that the state actually loses a minority district seat.

The Democrats in their talking points say it is unfair and illegal and point out:

· The Republican claim that they are creating a "new" district for Hispanics and a "new' district for African Americans is a typical Republican "big lie" designed to cover up a blatant partisan gerrymander - a power grab demanded by Tom DeLay.

· The truth is that Plan 1374C, at best, reduces the statewide total of minority opportunity districts to ten from the current 11 - a clearly illegal statewide retrogression of minority voting strength.

· Plan 1371C would eliminate an effective South Texas Hispanic District, CD23 (Bonilla), and a Dallas-Ft. Worth Minority Opportunity District, CD24 (Frost), an effective minority opportunity district where African Americans determine the outcome of the election. .

· Changes in South Texas weaken another Hispanic district, CD15 (Hinojosa) to the extent that there could be fewer than ten effective minority opportunity districts under 1371C.

· Because there is a statewide retrogression of the number of Minority Opportunity Districts in Plan 1374C from eleven to ten districts, the Republican argument that they can "replace" an existing minority opportunity district with another district elsewhere in the state.

· For example, CD24 (Frost), an existing minority opportunity district where African American voters dictate the outcome of the election, can not be "replaced" by CD9 in Houston, because CD9 is simply an enhanced version of the existing CD25, which is one of three existing minority opportunity districts in the Houston area.

· Likewise, CD23 (Bonilla) or CD24 can not be "replaced" under 1374C by a new South Texas CD25, because the South Texas configuration in 1374C does not create an additional Hispanic opportunity district given the elimination of CD23 as an effective Hispanic opportunity district”

There will be an effort to get a big crowd to the Capitol tomorrow to raise hell with the Republican members of the Legislature and perhaps to ask Houston State Representative Ron Wilson why he could support such a plan. Then it is off to the courts.