Snyder signs Republican redistricting plan

Gov. Rick Snyder on Tuesday signed a GOP redistricting plan into law. The new law resets the state’s district maps for state house and senate elections as well as federal congressional elections.

The plan was passed over objections from Democrats who hold the minority in both houses of the legislature.

“Governor Snyder’s decision today to sign into law politically and racially gerrymandered redistricting maps, breaks his promise to voters that he would be a moderate and bipartisan governor. Just like 10 years ago, Republicans have used the redistricting process to tip the scales in their favor by disenfranchising voters. Voters deserve fair and competitive districts. Voters should be the ones who pick their elected officials – these maps instead allow elected officials to pick their voters,” said Michigan Democratic Party Chair Mark Brewer. “These bills were rammed through the Legislature with little public notice and no public input. The Republican Legislature ignored alternative maps which better complied with both state and federal law. We are extremely disappointed in Governor Snyder for not standing up for a fair, transparent, and bipartisan process which would have given voters a choice and a voice. Governor Snyder and the Republicans have instead ignored the needs of the voters with these politically and racially gerrymandered maps.”

In a bill signing statement, Snyder ignored criticisms of the plan, instead issuing a statement touting his job creation rhetoric.

“At our peak, we had 19 seats in Congress. We only have 15 today and next year we are going to drop to 14 because Michigan was the only state in the nation to actually lose population over the last decade. This clearly shows why we need to fundamentally reinvent Michigan as place where businesses can grow and create jobs and people can raise a family.”

The new map pits Democrats Rep. Sander Levin against Gary Peters in the new 9th Congressional district. Levin issued a press statement on Tuesday attacking the new plan.

“It is highly disappointing that Gov. Synder rubber-stamped the Republican gerrymander of congressional districts for the next 10 years in Michigan. I testified against this map in Lansing and I will actively support every feasible effort to challenge the legality of this decision,” Levin said in the press release. “If legal challenges are unsuccessful in overturning this map, I will run for reelection in the proposed 9th District, which contains three-quarters of the district that I now represent. I will continue working to get our economy back on track, and as we address the deficit I will work to prevent Republicans in Congress from ending Medicare, undermining Social Security, cutting unemployment insurance, and turning back the clock on programs vital to middle class families in our area.”

The new plan also moves Calhoun county into the 3rd Congressional district represented by Republican freshman Rep. Justin Amash and away from Republican Rep. Tim Walberg in the 7th. That move should make the 7th district more conservative than it was in 2008 when President Barack Obama was on the ticket and Mark Schauer was elected to congress as a Democrat. Schauer replaced Walberg in 2008, and in 2010, Walberg replaced Schauer.

Mark Grebner, chair of the Ingham County Board of Commissioners and principal in Practical Political Consulting in East Lansing, says the new maps may favor Republicans, but that is par for the course. Traditionally, such maps are drawn by the political party in control and this year it’s the GOP.

“They did the best they could to screw us within the legal bounds,” said Grebner, a Democrat.

As for the change in the make up of Amash’s district, Grebner says it is conceivable Democrats could take Amash out in November 2012.

“Conceivably but you have to have an actual candidate there,” the consultant said. “The Kent county GOP is doing less well in that area. The county has moved left, leaving the right wing and certain other parts of the GOP undermined. Over time this district will go further away from the GOP.”

As for long-shot Republican presidential candidate Thaddeus McCotter, Grebner says the 11th district will remain pretty safe for McCotter but that his run for the White House may hurt his chances.

“There’s no better way to undercut yourself for re-election than to run for president,” said Grebner.