(WSIL) -- Drastically Different. That's how some are describing the new Congressional Districts proposed by Illinois Democrats on Friday.
Political Analyst John Jackson, with the , says the proposed 12th district is something southern Illinois should be very happy with. It is compact and reminds him of the past.
"It struck me immediately---that's the old Kenny Gray/Paul Simon district. Now two major differences. Number one because of population shifts it has to push much further north--that doesn't change basically 64 south at all. And number two: that used to be one of the most reliable democratic districts in the state and now it is one of the most red districts in the state," Jackson said. Â
Illinois is losing one representative in Congress due to population loss.
Jackson says he expects some of the newly drawn districts to be competive, but in the end he predicts republicans will be on the losing end of that seat in the U.S. House.
"I think what they're doing is pretty clearly setting up the republicans to take the loss of the one house seat that Illinois is going to lose. You know it is 13-5 now. It seems to me the most likely outcome is 13-4 if the democrats can defend all of their incumbants," Jackson said. Â
If these maps hold the 12th district would potentially set up a showdown betwen incumbant Mike Bost and current 15th District Representative Mary Miller.
“Governor Pritzker and his Democrat allies have shown just how low they will sink to protect their party’s political power. This gerrymandered nightmare is a dream come true for Nancy Pelosi as she struggles to hold onto her majority in Congress. Once again, Illinois voters have lost out to the corrupt political interests of Democrat Party bosses,â€� Rep. Bost said in a statement to News 3.Â
DOWN STATE LAWMAKERS WEIGH IN
"The newest Illinois draft US Congressional maps represent an unprecedented effort to protect the political power of Nancy Pelosi and failing Washington Democrats," Rep. Dave Severin (R-Benton) said. “As a member of the House Redistricting Committee, I have serious concerns with the lack of transparency in the process that led to the release of today’s draft maps. Democrat politicians in Illinois seem willing to go to any length to protect their political power. These newly proposed maps are aimed at protecting state and national Democrats� political power and would unfairly disenfranchise voters in Southern Illinois."
"Illinois Democrats in the General Assembly are aware of the unpopularity of the President and US Congressional leaders like Nancy Pelosi and leftist-progressives," Rep. Patrick Windhorst (R-Metropolis) said. "The gerrymandering in this map is on full display for all to see. From creating one massive geographic district for all of Southern Illinois to drawing Republican incumbents together, to the closed-door process that led to today’s maps being released, Democrats in Springfield are doing all they can to protect unpopular and failing Democrats in Washington."
"Illinois Democrats� goal seems to be the complete and total obliteration of the Republican party using the map-making process,� Rep. Paul Jacobs (R-Pamona) said. This is quite simply an all-out effort to protect Nancy Pelosi’s Speakership. Washington Democrats' policies have opened our borders to criminals, drug dealers, and human traffickers. Prices of everything are skyrocketing due to Joe Biden and JB Pritzker’s unworkable and outrageous energy policies. Our standing in the world has dropped significantly after the debacle in Afghanistan, and Democrats are hoping Illinoisans are so distracted that they will not notice this extremely gerrymandered map. The people of Southern Illinois should know that Democrats in Illinois are working for JB Pritzker, Joe Biden, and Nancy Pelosi, not for you."
