So a supposedly likely (but still tentative) redistricting plan has been leaked. And boy, are Nashville Democrats unhappy about it.
Here's what it looks like:
Compare that to this map, which is how the current districts are drawn:
The blog Red Racing Horses calls the first map a "Ketronmander," which is clever, ha ha, because it ensures everyone's favorite prolific legislator, state Sen. Bill Ketron, has a newly gerrymandered District 5 that favors his election to Congress. (Ketron is in charge of the redistricting committee, by the way.) Although that specific map was drawn by the blog's James Nola a month ago, U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper and Nashville Mayor Karl Dean told the Tennessean's editorial board this morning that this redistricting plan, which splits Nashville into three separate districts, is one that is seriously under consideration.
9:24 Cooper: Asked Cooper why this map should be taken more seriously than others. Says this map came from a pretty authoritative source. Doesn't want to say who it was, but says it alarmed them.
9:26 Cooper: This map is definitely being considered. The question is how seriously is it being considered.
Chas Sisk follows up the meeting with a story about the whole thing:
"It's a curious situation because it could be much ado about nothing," Cooper said. "Or it could be the political destruction of Nashville."But House Majority Leader Gerald McCormick dismissed Cooper and Dean's claims. He said state lawmakers will not even begin deciding how to draw Congressional district lines until late September, after they have finished planning out state legislative districts."I think I would have seen any maps that are being circulated," McCormick said. "I haven't seen any maps. ... I don't think he's got good information."
What should be of most interest to local residents, however, is that this proposed map would totally rework U.S. Rep. John J. Duncan, Jr.'s district, leaving only Knox County in it. Blount County would now be represented by Rep. Chuck Fleischmann - or, perhaps, a competing candidate, should one emerge.
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