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Friday, April 21, 2006
A big day for maps
We don't know if this board can take politics out of redistricting, but they could have quite a cocktail party.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Thursday was sort of a triple-witching day for redistricting junkies.
First, state Rep. Jane Kidd filed a motion with the federal court panel that drew the state House and Senate maps in 2004, asking them to uphold their own handiwork and overturn the changes to the Senate map made in this year’s legislative session. We ought to know today whether the court is going to jump into this before qualifying begins next week.
As the day drew to an end, the Justice Department faxed its clearance under the Voting Rights Act of the new map. That was expected.
Meanwhile, Gov. Sonny Perdue was announcing 11 appointments to his Independent Redistricting Task Force, which is charged with coming up with a way for the state to avoid the sort of line-drawing anxiety that has come up every year or so during this decade.
Good luck on that one.
We must say it’s an interesting group Perdue has choses for this difficult and ultimately thankless task, worth mentioning all 11:
- The chair is former state Supreme Court Chief Justice Harold Clark.
- Veronica Biggins, director of presidential personnel in the Clinton administration, who has a ton of Atlanta civic and business cred.
- Banker Sonny Deriso, from Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor’s home town of Albany, who chairs the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority.
- Macon lawyer Frank Jones, who returned to be counsel to his old firm, Jones, Cork and Miller, after retiring from King and Spalding. He’s a former president of the American College of Trial Lawyers.
- Former state Sen. Randy Hall of Augusta.
- Dink NeSmith of Athens, co-owner and president of the Community Newspapers chain. Like Jones, he’s also on the Commission for a New Georgia.
- Steve Smith of Atlanta, vice president of corporate responsibility for Turner Broadcasting System.
- John Sours of the Atlanta law firm Wasson, Sours and Harris. An active Republican and a big John McCain guy.
- Frank Strickland of the Atlanta law firm Strickland, Brockington and Lewis. A key Republican lawyer who has kept an eye on the past few redistricting sessions.
- Kennesaw State poly sci professor and political consultant Kerwin Swint, who’s latest book is titled “Mud: The Top 25 Negative Political Campaigns of All Time.� (We’ve covered several of them, btw.)
- Columbus businessman William Turner, who’s served on a number of top boards, including Coca-Cola and Georgia Power.
It’s never too early to talk about 2010
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
There’s a good interview with U.S. Rep. Lynn Westmoreland of Sharpsburg on jasonpye.com. He kicks it with this question:
JP: There has been some speculation of you running for governor in 2010. I understand that 2010 is a long way off and many things could change between now and then. But is that something that you’d like to pursue?
LW: Timing is everything in politics. For now, all options remain open. Certainly, my wife who doesn’t like to fly would like for me to keep my feet planted firmly in Georgia. That said, I’m enjoying my time in the House and I feel like there’s a need in Washington for fiscal conservatives who are will to sacrifice all to reform our budget process and get our nation’s finances back in order. For now, I’ll focus on that as I continue to serve and represent my constituents in Georgia’s 8th Congressional District to the best of my ability.
Read the entire Q&A here.
