If approved on a final vote today, the map will likely go to a conference committee to compete with an already-approved House plan that divides Lawrence, roughly along Iowa Street between the 2nd and 3rd districts.

Most of Lawrence is now in the 3rd District with Johnson and Wyandotte counties and is represented by U.S. Rep. Dennis Moore, the only Democratic congressman from Kansas. The 2nd District is represented by U.S. Rep. Jim Ryun, one of the most conservative Republicans in Congress.

Sen. Sandy Praeger, R-Lawrence, voted for putting Douglas County in the 2nd District, prompting strong criticism from Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, D-Topeka.

“I just can’t believe she would banish Lawrence to the 2nd District,” Hensley said. “Sen. Praeger has chosen Jim Ryun to be the congressman over Dennis Moore for Douglas County.”

Friday’s action was the latest development in a long-running battle as lawmakers carved up the state in the once-a-decade process of redrawing congressional boundaries based on new population data.

The Senate engaged in a number of complex procedural moves in trying to get a 21-vote majority among the 40 members.

Praeger earlier voted for a proposal by Hensley that would have kept Lawrence in the 3rd District, but that died on a 20-20 vote.

Hensley was able to maneuver his plan to keep Lawrence in the 3rd up for a second vote, and Praeger voted for it, but again it failed 20-20.

Praeger said she disagreed with Hensley that a third try at keeping Lawrence in the 3rd would have been successful.

“I just don’t see that the votes were going to be there. I think we were at an impasse,” she said.

And she said she liked the newly configured 2nd District, which goes farther west than the current 2nd District.

While the fate of Lawrence has been the focus of many redistricting debates this legislative session, it was southeast Kansas at center stage this time.

The plan that puts Lawrence in the 2nd District also splits the 12-county southeast Kansas region between the four Kansas congressional districts.

“It’s grotesque and laughable on its face,” said Sen. Derek Schmidt, R-Independence.

But Sen. Les Donovan, R-Wichita, said the division of southeast Kansas was wanted by Ryun and U.S. Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Wichita, in order to dilute the power of southeast Democratic voters.

Referring to the two congressmen, Donovan said, “Their wishes should be absolutely paramount to anything we do here.”

Schmidt countered, “I want to do the right Republican thing, but that does not mean I will blindly follow a group of political operatives in Washington, D.C.,” to the detriment of his district.

Ryun and Tiahrt are both Republican conservatives. Their allies in the Senate declared victory after the map was advanced.

“This is a conservative victory today, and a victory for Kansas,” said Sen. Tim Huelskamp, R-Fowler.

Last month, the House voted to split Lawrence roughly along Iowa Street with the western portion going to the 2nd District and the eastern portion, including the Kansas University campus, going to the 3rd District.

Democrats claim Republicans are trying to slice-and-dice the city to neutralize Moore’s base.

Republicans say they are simply trying to readjust district lines to better preserve communities of interest.

In public hearings, Lawrence city, county and chamber of commerce officials have urged lawmakers to keep the city in the 3rd District because of its economic and academic links to the Kansas City area.