Illinois GOP sues over redistricting

[July 21, 2011]  CHICAGO (AP) -- Top Illinois Republicans filed a lawsuit Wednesday to invalidate the state's new Democratic-drawn legislative district map, a move that was long expected as the GOP tries to mitigate the political damage that the new boundary lines could inflict.

House Republican Leader Tom Cross and Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno contend in the lawsuit filed in federal court that the map shortchanges blacks and Latinos and dilutes the voting strength of Republicans. Four individual voters also were named as plaintiffs in the lawsuit filed against the Illinois State Board of Elections.

Democrats were in charge of the redistricting process, which was based on the latest census, because they control both the Legislature and the governor's office. Gov. Pat Quinn signed the map into law last month.

Cross said in a statement: "They should be ashamed of themselves. We are optimistic that the court will agree with us and will help give our residents a Fair Map that accurately reflects our population, especially our growing Latino population."

Among other things, the lawsuit claims the new map doesn't create enough opportunities for Latino voters to elect representatives of their choosing, doesn't create as many majority black voting districts as it could and fractures African-American voters.

The lawsuit also complains that the map pits 25 incumbent Republican members of the General Assembly against one another, while only eight Democratic incumbents find themselves in that position.

"The redistricting plan's pitting significantly more incumbent Republicans against one another than incumbent Democrats is a deliberate attempt to enhance Democrats' prospects for re-election and targets Republicans to prevent their re-election," according to the lawsuit.

Democrats have defended the map as legal and fair. Sen. Kwame Raoul of Chicago, one of the Democrats in charge of redistricting, was not immediately available to comment. Quinn's office also didn't immediately comment.

Republicans want the map redrawn if their lawsuit is successful.

The GOP also is expected to file a lawsuit over the state's new congressional map. That map also lumps incumbent Republicans together in an effort to try to erase GOP gains in the U.S. House.

[Associated Press]

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