Redistricting may hand Sanchez’ seat to GOP in 2012

The California Redistricting Commission has released preliminary maps of the proposed new Congressional, Assembly and State Senate Districts here in Orange County.

“There is a long list of potential winners and losers on the Congressional front, but none are more striking than the Sanchez Sisters. In these draft maps Loretta Sanchez is put into a Republican seat with Dana Rorabacher, and her sister, Linda Sanchez is put into a Long Beach seat with Laura Richardson. That should get tongues wagging in DC,” according to an online news site.

Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez’ new district would have a Republican edge in total votes, by a 38% to 37% margin.  You can bet both the Democrats and the Republicans would quickly get busy registering new voters in the 47th.

Click here to see the proposed new congressional districts.

The revised map of the 34th State Senate District, which is currently held by State Senator Lou Correa, would stretch from Buena Park to Villa Park, and would still include most of Santa Ana.  But Anaheim would move to a north County district that would include Fullerton and stretch up through Diamond Bar.

But this new district would now feature a 39% Democratic versus 37% Republican vote split.  And the new district’s voters selected Whitman over Brown by a 47% to 44% margin.  In this new district, independent voters would essentially decide our next State Senator.

The new proposed Orange County Assembly maps are not out yet.

“The 14-member Citizens Redistricting Commission — set to release draft statewide maps on Friday — has crisscrossed the state in recent months, collecting testimony from people with often opposing viewpoints about what the new districts should look like. The commissioners must digest all of the feedback and balance it against other priorities, including compliance with the federal Voters Rights Act and creating congressional districts that are as close as possible to 702,905 people each,” according to the Press Enterprise.

According to the Redistricting Commission’s website:

• Districts must be of equal population to comply with the US Constitution.
• Districts must comply with the Voting Rights Act to ensure that minorities have an equal opportunity to elect representatives of their choice.
• Districts must be contiguous so that all parts of the district are connected to each other.
• Districts must respect the boundaries of cities, counties, neighborhoods and communities of Interest, and minimize their division, to the extent possible.
• Districts should be geographically compact, that is, have a fairly regular shape.
• Where practicable each Senate District should be comprised of two complete and adjacent Assembly Districts and Board of Equalization districts shall be composed of 10 complete and adjacent State Senate Districts.
• Districts shall not be drawn to favor or discriminate against an incumbent, candidate, or political party.