Topeka — Intrigue over re-drawing congressional district boundaries increased Friday as U.S. Rep. Lynn Jenkins, R-Topeka, was seen in the Statehouse looking over a possible plan.
But Jenkins, whose 2nd House District includes west Lawrence, denied she was getting involved in the process, saying, "I trust lawmakers to do their job."
A plan that state Sen. Anthony Hensley, D-Topeka, said is being hatched by Republicans would put Wyandotte County in the massive 1st District. Douglas County would be in the 3rd District.
U.S. Rep. Lynn Jenkins, R-Topeka, looks over a potential congressional redistricting map in a Statehouse hallway on Friday with state Rep. Clay Aurand.
"I don't have a vote and I'm uninvolved," she said.
Jenkins and her chief of staff Patrick Leopold were seen in a Statehouse hallway looking over a potential congressional map with state Rep. Clay Aurand, R-Courtland.
State legislators are realigning boundaries of Kansas' four U.S. House districts to take into account population shifts over the past 10 years and make the districts equal in population.
The process could have a big impact on Lawrence, which was split 10 years ago between the 2nd and 3rd districts.
Lawrence leans Democratic and Republicans are in command of redistricting, holding all congressional seats, strong majorities in the Legislature and the governor's mansion.
One potential plan would place Lawrence entirely in the 2nd District. And another would place it entirely in the 3rd District, which is represented by U.S. Rep. Kevin Yoder, R-Overland Park. And other proposals would keep it split.
A major issue is how to add population to the western Kansas 1st District, which is 57,790 people under the ideal size for a congressional district.
Some have suggested putting Manhattan, currently in the 2nd District, into the 1st, but Manhattan officials oppose this proposal.
Another is stretching the 1st all the way to Wyandotte County, a Democratic-leaning county now in the 3rd District with Johnson County.
Senate Democratic Leader Anthony Hensley of Topeka has said for months Republicans were hatching this plan. Republican leaders have generally dismissed the allegation.
But on Friday House Speaker Mike O'Neal, R-Hutchinson, said, "There is nothing legally wrong with the map that Anthony Hensley has been railing against. Is it a pretty map? No. I would like to see a prettier map than that."
Hensley said Jenkins was "shopping" to legislators the map that would put Wyandotte County in the 1st. Under that proposal, all of Lawrence would be consolidated into the 3rd. Jenkins declined to say if she was supporting a specific plan.
The general direction of redistricting may emerge Monday when a Senate committee is scheduled to vote on a congressional map.
Comments
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WilburM (anonymous) says…
A "pretty" map? Great criterion. Linking the Big 1st with Wyandotte -- grossly inappropriate and unethical, as well as being ugly. But whatever works for Rep. Jenkins.
UNIKU (anonymous) replies…
I've always thought Jenkins was pretty....pretty freakin' dumb!
JackMcKee (anonymous) says…
Between Jenkins, Brownback and our wonderful city commission (I'm talking to you Cromwell) I'm not sure I'm going to make it through.
average (anonymous) says…
Not like Jenkins really has any clout to say anything. Out of the four featherweight reps in the KS delegation, Yoder is the only one with much pull. Because he's electable among JOco country clubbers who swung for Moore, is somewhat acceptable to both factions in the KS GOP, and is the groomed golden boy to take over for Roberts or Moran someday. The righty-rights don't trust Jenkins. Even politicians as far right as Huelskamp don't like him. So, GOP-faction games and 'poking at Lawrence with a stick' both come before 'what Jenkins wants' in the redistricting decisions.
KansasConscience (anonymous) says…
Remember Lynn, going towards the top of the map doesn't mean you're going up hill. It means you're headed north.
TinmanKC (anonymous) says…
Yeah, I can just see Rep Huelskamp trolling for votes in the Quindaro district of KCK. The GOP plan to put Wyandotte County in the 1st district is gerrymandering pure and simple.
its_just_math (anonymous) says…
"...as U.S. Rep. Lynn Jenkins, R-Topeka, was seen in the Statehouse looking over a possible plan."
http://www2.ljworld.com/photos/2012/j...
Seems stalkerish and creepy.
Phogfan86 (anonymous) says…
Lynn Jenkins can read?
UNIKU (anonymous) replies…
For the win!
BruceWayne (anonymous) replies…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stroke
Many stroke victims lead very normal lives.
Getaroom (anonymous) replies…
She has proven to have limited comprehension at best, but she can put on that big phony lipstick grin of hers and lie with best of the elected neocons in government today.
fearthetaliban (anonymous) says…
Wonder of Rep Tim H would consider giving back his over $1,000,000 farm subsidy welfare $$
yourworstnightmare (anonymous) says…
It is getting harder and harder for the GOP to gerrymander to ensure that democrats will not elections. They do not want to touch the first, and they want to keep Lawrence split between the second and third.
The easiest solution is:
1st: Current plus Manhattan
2nd: All of Lawrence and Topeka
3rd: KCK and JoCo
4th: Wichita and surrounding, same as current.
fredthemechanic1213 (anonymous) replies…
The only way democrats will ever win a seat in Kansas is through gerrymandering toward the democrats. You would need both Lawrence and Wyandotte counties in the same district without JoCo. Law makers don't have to put Wyandotte in the big first district to keep it in a red district.
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus (anonymous) replies…
"You would need both Lawrence and Wyandotte counties in the same district without JoCo."
Given that these counties are all contiguous, it wouldn't take any gerrymandering to (again) put them in the same district.
KEITHMILES05 (anonymous) says…
Jenkins is dumb and it is a disgrace she was elected but then again the voters who put her in are as dumb as she is and perhaps dumber.
observant (anonymous) replies…
I think dumber, they voted for her.
superswagg56 (anonymous) says…
Has anyone sat down and explained the map to her? I'm not sure she'll understand it on her own. Secondly...does she even know where thee places on the map are located?
overthemoon (anonymous) says…
I don't understand why this process is allowed to be so political. We have incredibly sophisticated GIS technology that can divide states and districts up strictly by numbers, show overlays of demographics and existing boundries (County, municipality, school district, etc.) Let the techies do the number crunching and maybe a person's vote will actually count for something.
none2 (anonymous) says…
There are two pages worth of proposals here:
http://redistricting.ks.gov/_Plans/pl...
I don't think all the proposals are there as the one map shown this article is not there. That being said, they also need to post higher resolution maps as the maps are barely readable and look like crap if you try to zoom in. If you cannot read the county names and the populations, then they have messed up.
For the map shown in this article, it is absurd to make some weird one county wide extension of the 1st district into the top counties and down to Leavenworth & Wyandotte.
I don't see what the big fuss is about putting Manhattan in the 1st district. I don't necessary think that is the best deal, but at the same time it isn't that bad either -- after all Junction City & Fort Riley are in the 1st District already. Likewise, what makes Manhattan so special when counties like Lynn (Emporia) and Wabaunsee are further east than Manhattan and they are in the 1st district now. One plan that did look weird was putting parts of southwestern Kansas in the Wichita district.
I think they cane come up with a good map if they so choose. Since the democratic strongholds are in Wyandotte & Douglas county, I don't think many maps are going to make a big difference. Republicans will still have the majority of seats no matter how they slice and dice the state. So they should just go for a logical map that no on could find fault with -- regardless of party.
mloburgio (anonymous) says…
fearthetaliban give timmy a break, it wasn't $ 1 million get the facts right!
you were off by $594,867.35.
Huelskamp Farms Fowler, KS 67844 $ 1,594,867.35
http://farm.ewg.org/addrsearch.php?s=...
mloburgio (anonymous) says…
Always remember, U.S. Rep. Lynn Jenkins, R-Topeka and timmy H both voted to end medicare, medicaid and social secuity.
District by District Impact of Republican Medicare Plan and Medicaid Cuts
http://democrats.energycommerce.house...
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus (anonymous) says…
"State Sen. Anthony Hensley's plan would put Wyandotte County in the massive 1st District. Douglas County would be in the 3rd District."
This is the caption on the map attached to this article, but from the text in the article, this isn't a proposal from Hensley, but rather a map he believes many Republican members are pushing.
Putting Wyandotte County in the 1st district would be classic gerrymandering.
LarryNative (anonymous) says…
Someone should post a picture of the new map in wiki under the definition of gerrymandering.
Fidogump (anonymous) says…
She is just a plain idiot and she knows her time is limited. She is toast. Wonder why she is avoiding seniors in her district after she voted to get rid of medicare and social security.
rtwngr (anonymous) says…
For the most part she supports conservative ideals. That's ok with me.
observant (anonymous) says…
Can we draw the map so her entire district is in Neb or Tx? Tx would be best, they love their idiot reps there.
Armstrong (anonymous) says…
This is so unfair. If the districts are redrawn and Dems are out, who will cry about poor me and play the I'm the victim card ? The only thing Kansans will have to do is become citizens responsible for themselves and stop sponging off society. Oh no not reality !
yourworstnightmare (anonymous) says…
Does Hensley really support placing Wyandotte County in the 1st, as the map shows?
Interesting. Maybe he thinks that as western Kansas depopulates, the urban, populated Wyandotte county will bring it home for the democrats.
The GOP seem to think just the opposite, that western Kansas will ensure GOP control of the 1st and will nullify Wyandotte county.
Given recent demographics and the continuing depopulation of western Kansas, Hensley might be on to something.