A new map, new Congressional district, & old legal fight

You can kiss “Goofy Kicking Donald Duck” goodbye.

And while you’re at it, you can say farewell to the 7th District as well.

Welcome to the 5th District, Delaware County.

All of this is a result of the new map of Pennsylvania’s Congressional Districts issued by the state Supreme Court Monday. Now bring on the lawyers. The new map is a result of both the state and U.S. Supreme Courts ruling that the map created by Republicans in the state Legislature back in 2011 was unconstitutional. The justices said it was a classic example of partisan gerrymandering, stacking the deck to favor one party’s candidates. Since Republicans controlled both the state House and Senate, it’s not surprising that their map fiercely protected incumbent GOP turf.

Nowhere was that more evident than the 7th District, which was twisted and bent into two noncontiguous large land masses, areas that greatly aided incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Pat Meehan. What routinely had been a tossup district suddenly became a Red lock, with Meehan cruising to three successive routs, routinely racking up 60 percent of the vote. So grotesque was the shape of the 7th that it earned that mocking tag of being reminiscent of “Goofy Kicking Donald Duck.”

Monday the justices kicked Goofy to the curb. And kicked the 7th District up to Bucks County in the process.

The state constitution mandates congressional districts be both “compact and contiguous” whenever possible.

The map released Monday by the Pennsylvania justices is a clear improvement than the GOP map of 2011 if for no other reason than that.

Back in 2011, Republicans in the Legislature split 28 counties in creating their map. The new one released by the high court Monday reduces that number to 13. Of those, nine counties are split in two, while another four are divided three ways. The 2011 map contorted the 7th District in a way that it covered residents in five different suburban counties.

For Delaware County, it means a single congressional district – the 5th – will now cover the entire county, along with a sliver of Montgomery County along the Main Line and a chunk of Philadelphia thrown in for good measure.

The county’s other congressional district, the 1st District, longtime home to Democratic power broker Bob Brady, is obliterated. Brady is not seeking re-election. The new map reverses years of Delco voters along the river and in the city of Chester being represented by a city faction, Brady in particular. Now the opposite is true, with parts of southwest and south Philly falling into a district that includes all of Delaware County.

Fears that Delaware County would not have its own district – supported by a map submitted by Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf – proved unfounded. That does not mean everyone is happy. As you might expect, Republicans are crying foul. And vowing to challenge the map in court.

Not necessarily because most experts see the new map as benefitting Democrats, who have watched as Republicans retained control of 13 of the state’s 18 congressional seats despite a trend that has seen the state going Democratic in many statewide and national races.

Instead Republicans are vowing to challenge the new map on a constitutional basis. In a way, they are claiming a reverse gerrymander, arguing that the 5-2 Democratic majority on the state Supreme Court usurped a role that the constitution clearly defines as the work of the Legislature.

The high court made note of that in its ruling, saying that all sides had the opportunity to submit proposals and that the court drew heavily on those recommendations.

State Republican Party Chairman Val DiGiorgio of Chester County blasted the ruling, saying it set a “new standard of judicial activism, unquestionably is a violation of separation of powers, and is a sad day for the Commonwealth.”

DiGiorgio specifically went after the Democratic justices, saying they were engaged in “partisan gerrymandering and a power grab by Democrat operatives hiding behind robes.”

Even President Trump weighed in yesterday, urging Republicans to challenge the new map in court.

The court has said it wants this new map in place for the May 15 primary. As part of its Monday order, the court also revised the calendar for candidates to gather signatures on their nominating petitions. Candidates now can gather signatures starting next Tuesday, Feb. 27, and running through March 20.

There is no shortage of candidates – from both parties – lining up to represent what will be the newly formed 5th District.

Remember, 7th District incumbent Republican Rep. Pat Meehan is not seeking re-election, a decision he made after being embroiled in a controversy over the use of taxpayer money to settle a sex harassment suit filed by a former staffer.

Now Meehan is gone. So is Brady. So is the 7th District. And the 1st.

It’s likely those who had announced interest in running for the 7th District seat will seek their party’s nomination in the new 5th.

But those seeking to run in the 1st will face an interesting dilemma. They can challenge an incumbent in the city’s two other districts, the 2nd and 3rd, or face an uphill battle in the 5th District now centered in Delaware County.

Delaware County Democrats, who have salivated for years at the notion of this kind of map, which would allow them to use their newfound voter registration in the county, now may face a challenge from inside the party, namely South Philly Democrats.

Any way you look at it, this new map is a clear improvement over the old one. That likely will not stop more legal wrangling.

Bring on the lawyers – and the candidates.