The Latest Salvos In The ‘fayetteville To The Fourth’ Debate (updated)
by March 24, 2011 7:00 pm 166 views
Dueling facebooks, competing proposals, interactive web sites – the "Fayetteville to the Fourth" map continues to stir the political debate.
Also referred to as the "Fayetteville Finger" or the "Pig Trail Gerrymander," there’s not a lot of gray opinion on the Congressional redistricting plan advanced by House Democrats in committee on Wednesday.Today, House State Agencies Chair Rep. Clark Hall (D-Marvell) released a lengthy statement, which you can read here, to discuss the logic that constructed the plan.
"There were strong voices in areas of the state such as Fort Smith, Russellville and Harrison that wanted to remain in their historic home in the 3rd Congressional District and there were passionate voices on both sides of the issue in Washington County," Hall said.
In truth, there are going to be "passionate voices" in every map drawn. You won’t find many, if any, Democratic partisans to say it on the record, but the map aims to meet the goal of balancing the numbers required by the Census with the goal of drawing Congressional Districts that would lean at least two of the four districts to Democrats and two to Republicans.
Clearly, the Third remains Republican under the "Fayetteville to the Fourth" plan and the Second actually becomes more Republican with the addition of Hot Springs Village. The First District gaining southern Delta counties and losing Baxter County increases its Democratic performance, while the Fourth picks up a swath of would-be Democratic voters.
The two political parties have sparred all week over the issue. On Friday, the bill was not run on the House floor. Speaker Robert Moore conceded that the votes needed were not firmed up, but Talk Business sources indicated that talks over the weekend could garner House votes and possibly find a compromise with Senate members, who have yet to take up a plan.
One source involved in the negotiations said the House plan "won’t change much" implying that the Washington County shift to the Fourth and the alignment of Southeastern Arkansas counties are likely to remain intact. Baxter County could be a negotiating point.
Also on Friday, the Arkansas GOP launched a web site and Facebook page to highlight the “raw partisan politics," according to state GOP chairman Doyle Webb.
Democratic Party chairman Will Bond stated earlier in the week that Republicans were being partisan. “The plans that Republican lawmakers have put forward are incumbent protection plans. Republicans have attempted to politicize the process by making the maps only about their incumbent office holders,” he said.
Interestingly, a Facebook page has been started by supporters of the plan in the Fayetteville area. Steve Smith, a former chief of staff to then-Gov. Bill Clinton and husband of former Democratic State Rep. Lindsley Smith, is the organizer.
"We support the common good and common sense of the plan that moves Arkansas’s 4th Congressional District boundaries to include Fayetteville," the Facebook page says.
"We can have that advantage of twice the representation for Northwest Arkansas if we are smart enough to take it: double the clout and double the muster representing us in Washington for the next decade. We just cannot let partisans or those averse to change mess it up."
UPDATE: And the e-mail and Facebook exchanges continue.
Late Friday, freshman Rep. Jon Hubbard (R-Jonesboro) responded to Rep. Hall’s letter released earlier by e-mail.
Hubbard accused Hall of "playground bullying tactics" in the operation of the State Agencies Committee during redistricting and he clearly disagrees with the "Fayetteville to the Fourth" plan.
"Your map is not only a terrible option, but a blatant attempt to circumvent the 2012 and future Congressional elections in this state. This is a perfect example of the dirty political games that have become the norm in AR politics," said Hubbard’s e-mail.
"Hopefully one of these days we will elect people to the Legislature who realize and understand that the public is getting sick and tired of the same old dirty political games that have been played far too long. If this happens, maybe we will finally come to the realization that our purpose for being here is to represent the ‘Will of the People’, and not to protect the power of a certain political party," Hubbard added.
You can read his full comments here.
Also, State Sen. Sue Madison (D-Fayetteville), who has been sharply criticized by her local chamber president, former Arkansas Attorney General Steve Clark, countered Clark’s claims that Madison could single-handedly stop the controversial redistricting plan. She also responded on her Facebook page to his charge that she was not representing her district.
"If it was so important to Mr. Clark that I attend this meeting, then why didn’t he contact me and ask me to attend? He has yet to contact me to discuss ANY issues during this entire legislative session," said Madison, noting she was running bills in other committees.
"I also take great offense that Mr. Clark has publicly accused me of ignoring my constituents and forgetting the people of Fayetteville. This couldn’t be farther from the truth," she added.
You can read all of Madison’s complete remarks here.