House approves new congressional districts
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HARRISBURG -- Despite complaints from Democrats about some strangely shaped districts and about separating many neighboring communities, the House gave final approval Tuesday to a new map of congressional districts to be in effect for the next 10 years.
The map of the 18 new districts was approved by the Republican-controlled House, 136-61, despite complaints about the odd shape of District 12, which stretches from the Ohio border to Cambria and Somerset counties, and of District 7, based in Delaware County but including four other counties, which ended up being crab-shaped.
But House Republican leader Mike Turzai of Bradford Woods strongly disagreed, saying that in order to follow the federal mandate for "one person, one vote," not all contiguous communities can be contained in the same congressional district. Each of the 18 new districts must be as equal in population as possible, he said, which requires putting communities from different geographic parts of the state into the same district.
The new map has one less district than the congressional map that has been used from 2001 until now, which had 19 districts. Because its population grew at a slower rate than many other states, especially Western and Southern states, Pennsylvania lost one congressman in the 2010 census.
The new 18 districts will be in effect until after the next census in 2020. The Senate narrowly approved Senate Bill 1249, the redistricting bill, by a 26-24 vote last week.
The new 12th District combines the districts of two incumbent Democrats, Reps. Jason Altmire and Mark Critz, who will have to run against each other in the April primary. On the GOP side, state Rep. Jim Cristiana of Beaver County had been rumored to run, but he said this week he won't.
Two other possible GOP candidates in the 12th are Keith Rothfus, who ran and lost two years ago, and Mr. Turzai. His aide, Steve Miskin, has said Mr Turzai didn't have plans to run for Congress, but media reports online persist that he might.
Rep. Babette Josephs, D-Philadelphia, and Rep. Greg Vitali, D-Delaware, blasted the strange shape of the new 7th District, which is occupied by U.S. Rep. Pat Meehan, a Republican. Democrats said the Republicans who designed the new districts intentionally lumped together GOP areas from five counties.
Lehigh Valley Democrats complained that for the first time in 40 years, Easton will not be in the same congressional district as Allentown and Bethlehem. They said all three towns have similar interests and should remain together.
Some Harrisburg officials complained about being grouped into a largely Republican district in south-central Pennsylvania. They said this will decrease the political clout of largely Democratic Harrisburg.
Some lawmakers from Lancaster County complained that parts of that county will be put into the Delaware County district, and the two areas don't share similar interests.
Another oddly shaped district is the 10th, which stretches from south-central Pennsylvania north to the New York border and then east to the New Jersey border.
First Published December 21, 2011 12:00 am
