New Map Puts Demo In Tough Spot

Most of the Duluth's area's incumbent state representatives will be able to run in 2012 in rather safe, familiar districts. But one, who's used to a more Latino constituency, thinks he's got a target on his back.

Starting in downtown Duluth, there's a line that goes down Highway 120, zigs and zags through the land behind the Adventist Academy, comes back down Bunten Road, picks up 120 again, turns toward Rollins Ranch Lake, Meadow Church Road, and finally hits Interstate-85.

Above that line, State Rep. Brooks Coleman (R-Duluth) would still sit in a fairly Duluth-centric district that covers the city and almost all neighborhoods down to I-85.

Below that line is a much-changed 96th District. It includes the home of incumbent State Rep. Pedro Marin (D-Norcross). However, he's not sure he can win re-election in a district that gives up a lot of Norcross in exchange for more Republican Duluth.

"As the only Latino to have ever served in the Georgia House of Representatives, the district I represent was targeted by Republicans who reduced the Latino population by 10 percent and the Latino voting age population by 9 percent," Marin charged from the state House floor during the map debate.  "As well, they increased the number of Republican voters, hoping that I will finally lose an election."

Every 10 years, the Georgia Legislature must redraw political districts to rebalance population based on new U.S. Census numbers. For the first time in living memory, the GOP has a majority in the state House and Senate and control the draft maps that came out of the Georgia Legislative and Congressional Reapportionment Office. 

The constituency that elected Marin in 2010 had a higher population of voting-age Latinos than any other district in Georgia. His new voting age population will be about one-third Latino.

"It's going to be a Republican map because it's a red state," said State Rep. Roger Lane (R-Darien), who was in charge of the House redistricting committee and also spoke during the debate. Republicans say all the maps are fair and in line with the U.S. Voting Rights Act, which forbids gerrymandering against minority voters.

An outside observer faults both sides. "Our biggest disappointment is the partisanship and bickering by both parties," said William Perry, executive director of Common Cause Georgia, a government transparency lobby, in a statement. "The Democrats are taking a harsh stance in an attempt to protect their party's interests while the Republicans drew maps to strengthen their interests."

Common Cause and other allied groups are seeking a California-style nonpartisan public panel to draw maps in the future.

Another part of Duluth, between roughly West Lawrenceville Street, Buford Highway and Pleasant Hill Road, is slated to merge into the 95th state House District, a GOP-leaning area that includes the Norcross home of incumbent GOP State Rep. Tom Rice.

Neighborhoods below I-85 are set to remain Republican. House Minority Caucus Chair Brian Thomas (D-Lilburn) will get a new district number, but will keep similar boundaries that include neighborhoods around Club Drive and Steve Reynolds Boulevard. On the state Senate side, those same areas remain with State Sen. Curt Thomson's Democrat-leaning Tucker district.

State Senate Majority Caucus Vice Chair David Schafer (R-Duluth) is getting a district that is even more compactly drawn around his home base. His district will expand down to Satellite Boulevard, ending at I-85.

In the U.S Congress, all of Duluth and surrounding areas in Gwinnett are slated to stay in the 7th Congressional District, held by U.S. Rep. Rob Woodall (R-Lawrenceville).

Gov. Nathan Deal has already signed the state House and Senate maps after the legislature passed them by nearly party-line votes. The congressional map still needs to finish formal acceptance in the legislature. It's expected to land on the governor's desk by Wednesday.

After that, the maps will be sent to Washington, DC, for federal approval under the Voting Rights Act. Either the Department of Justice or a federal judge must review the maps and make sure none of the districts have the intent or effect of disenfranchising or diluting minority voting power.

If all goes smoothly in Washington, the maps will be used for the 2012 election cycle.

All of Georgia's state representatives and senators are up for election next year as are all members of the U.S. House.