tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post8418898801632641490..comments2024-03-25T13:42:25.771-05:00Comments on Advance Indianaâ„¢: Supreme Court Ruling Will Impact Raced-Based RedistrictingGary R. Welshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15185079937305083438noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-75920743304189267542009-03-11T19:54:00.000-05:002009-03-11T19:54:00.000-05:00As a long time Dem party activist, I would strongl...As a long time Dem party activist, I would strongly disagree with some of your assertions.....the <BR/>7th CD was never drawn or mandated by some written or unwritten edict to have a minority representative. AA make up less than 1/3 of the district's population. If you look at past results, you will see that Julia and Andre run well in precincts that are all or almost all White....Both have had appeal in the white community in which I am a member and when you travel the polls on election days, you will see as many white volunteers for Andre as you do AA. Andre is a strong voice for ALL residents of the 7th and I suspect he will be returned to D.C. for as long as he wishes....artfugginshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05364503656694166926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-57293840361756111642009-03-11T19:36:00.000-05:002009-03-11T19:36:00.000-05:00Although I did not vote for Andre Carson in the el...Although I did not vote for Andre Carson in the election, I have been very pleased with his performance. Congressman Carson is the only member of color of Indiana's congressional delegation and if his district is redrawn then something should be done to make certain that our delegation is diverse. A team of all white male congressmen is hardly representative of the voters of Indiana.<BR/><BR/>I do not like the court's decision. I would hope that if the district is redrawn that a lawyer of Bill Groth's caliber would take on the case. He has proven himself as one of Indiana's most competent, experienced and capable lawers practicing in the area of election law.Lawyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12674164784978304998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-85378404339774944322009-03-11T19:17:00.001-05:002009-03-11T19:17:00.001-05:00Julia's ascension to the Andy Jacobs seat was plan...Julia's ascension to the Andy Jacobs seat was planned in advance, Wilson, and you know that, just as Andre's ascension to the seat upon Julia's death was planned. Ann DeLaney tried to upset the apple cart and opened up an old division between the Center Township machine and the Bayh Democrats. After Julia thoroughly trounced DeLaney in the Democratic primary (in which AA voters are disproportionately represented by the way), the Democratic Party declared a truce with Carson and the Center Township folks and declared it Indiana's official African-American seat.Gary R. Welshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15185079937305083438noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-34198279008267912412009-03-11T19:17:00.000-05:002009-03-11T19:17:00.000-05:00Interesting case, but the real important VRA case ...Interesting case, but the real important VRA case is coming this summer when they decide whether Section 5 - which requires DOJ to approve changes to voter laws in southern states - is constitutional.Ghostwriter Judiciaryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16704458822612883028noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-57944998673930219642009-03-11T19:06:00.000-05:002009-03-11T19:06:00.000-05:00The Indianapolis Congressional District (whatever ...The Indianapolis Congressional District (whatever the number) has always been drawn to cover the City of Indianapolis - race has never been a factor in its layout. Julia Carson astonished the political world by being in 1996 the first African-American elected from a majority Caucasian district (Blacks were only 28%).<BR/><BR/>The Indianapolis Congressional District was never crafted or created by the Voting Rights Act. I don't believe the recent SCOTUS decision will affect Indianapolis therefore.<BR/><BR/>In 2008 a well-funded and competent Caucasian candidate, David Orentlicher, ran in the Democratic primary. He received only 22% of the vote. Voters (not some mythical innercity machine) preferred Black candidates. I've always estimated the Democratic primary voters to be 50-50 Black and white.<BR/><BR/>A major factor in redistricting is "community of interest". Splitting the City of Indianapolis in half for partisan political purposes for the first time ever would be quite wrong (and obvious). Sadly, it seems extreme gerrymandering is the GOP's only hope of backsliding to a lily-white Congressional delegation from Indiana.Wilson46201https://www.blogger.com/profile/14214029150233485312noreply@blogger.com