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meet to consider actions.” |
What has gone largely unreported ; so far is the consequences of definitive ctiurt rulings requiring new congressional redistricting. Such an eventuality might well lead to challenge of pre-; sent majority black state legislative districts and even city and county 1 election districts. !
While some may consider court edicts banning racially motivated districts as conservative in nature, the hard truth is that packing minorities,! who vote largely Democratic, into dis-; tricts creates opportunities for Republicans to gain seats. In Virginia, for example., creation of the 3rd District made safe Republican seats in two districts and created situations in the 2nd and 4th districts where Republicans would be likely winners! whenever the conservative Democrats who hold those seats depart.
Indeed, there were strategy ses; sions in 1991 in which Republican* had unlikely allies in the ACLU and NAACP in favoring creation of minor ity districts. The motives of the various parties may have been different, but the outcome was election of more . blacks and more Republicans as was the case throughout the nation.
The Tidewater Republicans chal* lenging, the 3rd District think race should not be a consideration in draw* ing of district lines. In that respecl they may be purists, but they are certainly not pragmatists.
John Goolrick, a former political reporter, is now an aide to 1st District Rep. Herbert Bateman. Opinions expressed are his own.
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