Praeger drawn into redistricting feud

Senate Democratic Leader Anthony Hensley blamed Sen. Sandy Praeger, R-Lawrence, for the failure of a redistricting plan that would have kept Lawrence in the 3rd Congressional District, and he urged Praeger to make amends by taking on Republican leaders and having the plan reconsidered.

“You owe more to the people of Douglas County who elected you to local and state office than you owe to the political hacks in Washington, D.C., who don’t give a damn about the people of Lawrence,” Hensley of Topeka said in a fiery 2 1/2-page letter sent this week to Praeger.

Praeger responded, saying it’s still possible Lawrence will stay in the 3rd District.

The exchange shows emotions are high concerning the unresolved redistricting plan that lawmakers will consider when they return on Wednesday to Topeka.

Lawrence now is in the 3rd District with the Kansas City area and is represented by U.S. Rep. Dennis Moore, the only Kansas Democrat in Congress. Lawrence officials have said they want to stay in the 3rd District, citing the city’s economic links to Kansas City.

But on April 12, the Senate approved a controversial plan that would move Lawrence and Douglas County into a newly configured 2nd District, which is represented by conservative Republican Jim Ryun.

During debate that evening, the Senate voted on two redistricting plans several times. One plan, by Hensley, would have kept Lawrence in the 3rd. The other, which passed, would move Lawrence into the 2nd.

Praeger voted for both plans. Hensley had asked Praeger not to vote for the plan that passed, saying that if she held out longer he would have gotten another vote for his plan, which failed twice on a 20-20 vote. But Praeger refused.

Praeger said had she voted for putting Lawrence in the 2nd District “to move the process forward.”

When the Legislature returns, Hensley said, Praeger could make a motion to reconsider the map that was approved. Under Senate rules, a person who voted with the majority can ask that the vote be reconsidered. If that motion passes, and the plan is voted down, Hensley said he again will offer his proposal to keep Lawrence in the 3rd District.

He predicted that if his proposal came up for another vote, it would get the necessary votes. But Praeger said she would not heed Hensley’s request.

If the Senate-approved plan remains, it will likely move to a conference committee with House members, who have approved a proposal to split Lawrence between the 2nd and 3rd districts roughly along Iowa Street. Praeger said since the proposals would be hammered out in a conference committee, there was still the opportunity to keep Lawrence in the 3rd District. Praeger said she preferred keeping Lawrence whole  whether it’s in the 3rd or 2nd  instead of splitting the city.