Topeka ? A legal challenge by the Attorney General’s Office to the new congressional redistricting plan may clear the way for a court fight over the proposed split of Lawrence.

On Wednesday, Atty. Gen. Carla Stovall filed a lawsuit in federal court alleging the new congressional plan approved by lawmakers is unconstitutional because it places Junction City in a different district than neighboring Army installation Fort Riley.

The lawsuit is silent on the proposal to split Lawrence between two congressional districts along Iowa Street.

Senate Democratic Leader Anthony Hensley of Topeka said that if Stovall could challenge the split of Junction City and Fort Riley, he would challenge the split of Lawrence.

“Stovall has neglected a community of interest of 80,000 people. I’m not willing to give up,” Hensley said.

Hensley said he and Rep. Troy Findley, D-Lawrence, who were the ranking minority members on legislative redistricting committees, probably would file their legal challenge today.

In Stovall’s lawsuit, the attorney general recommended that a panel of three federal judges redraw the map in a way to keep Junction City and Fort Riley together in the 2nd Congressional District.

She said placing Junction City in the 1st District and Fort Riley in the 2nd District failed to take into consideration the community of interest between the city and fort.

Her proposed map, however, would not change the proposed split of Lawrence, which places west Lawrence in the 2nd District while keeping east Lawrence in the 3rd District.

Asked why splitting Lawrence wasn’t dividing a community of interest, Stovall spokesman Mark Ohlemeier said, “I don’t know that there is a symbiotic relationship between east and west Lawrence.”