Topeka — Lawrence would be consolidated into the 2nd U.S. House District under two congressional redistricting plans that emerged Monday.
And state legislators also had harsh words for a proposal that has floated up that would take Kansas City, Kan., currently in the 3rd District, and place it in the vast western Kansas 1st District.
“That just doesn’t meet my test of rationality,” said state Sen. Tim Owens, R-Overland Park, and chairman of the Senate redistricting committee.
State Sen. Ralph Ostmeyer, R-Grinnell, said of the Kansas City-to-the-1st plan, “I will never be a part of a map like that.”
Ostmeyer said U.S. Rep. Lynn Jenkins, R-Topeka, who represents the 2nd District, brought that plan to his attention. “I was disappointed to see that map,” he said.
That proposal would also place all of Lawrence in the 3rd. Jenkins has said she wants to keep Manhattan, home of Kansas State University, in the 2nd so that there is a consistency in representation of the future site of the federal lab, called the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility. Putting Kansas City, Kan., in the 1st would allow that to happen.
Jenkins says she has not endorsed any specific plan.
In a statement, Jenkins’ office said Jenkins enjoys representing Lawrence and would like the district to remain as it is but realizes the 1st must pick up population.
Several committee members said congressional incumbents have been involved in the Legislature’s work of redrawing district lines to accommodate population shifts and make the districts as equal as possible.
“You can’t allow the congressional delegation to muck up this process,” said state Sen. Anthony Hensley, D-Topeka.
Currently, west Lawrence is in the 2nd District and east Lawrence in the 3rd. Hensley said putting the city in one district would right an injustice from 10 years ago when Republicans split the city.
The Senate committee is scheduled to vote on a plan Wednesday.
Comments
ksyellowdog 1 year, 3 months ago
Muck and mud slinging are Lynn Jenkins trade and stock. One trick ponies are hard to train.
KEITHMILES05 1 year, 3 months ago
This goes to show that Jenkins is out there peddling her wares and is an outright liar. Glad some of the state GOP people see that. She is a disgrace.
jackpot 1 year, 3 months ago
Some of west Lawrence is in the 3rd right now. Not all of west Lawrence is in the 2nd.
srj 1 year, 3 months ago
Jenkins sure does not want all of Lawrence. KC is district one, give me a break. I can't see this being very hard, all of Lawrence is district two will be the only big change I think.
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus 1 year, 3 months ago
"Elections have consequences."
Precisely why Kobach and the Republican Party pull out every trick they can to rig them in their favor, fairness and ethics be damned.
snap_pop_no_crackle 1 year, 3 months ago
Such language for a family-friendly award-winning website! Try instead "... ethics be darned."
Fidogump 1 year, 3 months ago
Everyone knows why jenkins wants the 2nd to stay split because she will be toast when it is put back like it is supposed to be.
none2 1 year, 3 months ago
"Jenkins has said she wants to keep Manhattan, home of Kansas State University, in the 2nd, so that there is a consistency in representation of the future site of the federal lab, called the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility. Putting Kansas City, Kan. in the 1st would allow that to happen."
I have absolutely now idea where the logic for this attitude is coming from. I think I heard that this attitude also came from other's from Manhattan. The only way you have consistancy is if the same person is elected time and time again. Lynn Jenkins replaced Nancy Boyda, so there was a break in consistency of representation then. Should Lynn have left that former race for the good of Manhattan so that Manhattan would have been consistently represented by Nancy? Is Lynn and the town of Manhattan so sure that she will be the 2nd District's congressional representative for the next TEN years?
KNUCKLEDRAGGER 1 year, 3 months ago
This is a joke . Jenkins is a liar. Nobody wants Wyandotte County Democrats in their Congressional District. That would mean diversity. Blacks, Mexicans , and people of color. How does the urban WYCO District fit into the White Rural 1st District .
Douglas County Dems from KU were partially connected to the 3rd District, The GOP will not allow that and split the Democrats away from the Johnson County GOP Power Base A Gerrymandering Powerplay in action by the State GOP.
none2 1 year, 3 months ago
What a bigoted statement. Have you bothered to travel the state? Obviously not. Do you seriously think that blacks only live in Wyandotte County? As for Hispanics (Mexicans), you need to take a trip to southwestern Kansas. Liberal, Dodge City, Garden City for instance have lots of Hispanics. They also had a sizable Vietnamese population although I think they have dispersed.
Please educate yourself before putting your foot in your mouth. Your comment is a disgrace for anybody living in a county that has so many people with college degrees.
TheSychophant 1 year, 3 months ago
How is it bigoted?
oldbaldguy 1 year, 3 months ago
Do the Dems have anybody to run against her? I voted for Boyda although i normally vote Republican. She needs to go.
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