<x-flowed>     It occurred to me after LULAC came down that the TX Republicans might use the necessity to redraw CDs 23 and 28 to finish what they started in 2003 by shifting 2-5% of the Democrats out of Chet Edwards's 17th district and shoring up DeLay's CD 22, which was only about 55% Republican in 2004 with DeLay at the height of his powers.  Now, it seems an even more likely prospect.
     Unless the Republicans begin their redistricting plan with Edwards's 17th and DeLay's 22nd, and assuming that they can't refrain from adding Latinos to the 23rd, they risk losing two, net, of the six seats that they won in 2004, which could mean a lot in a close House election.
     Perhaps in retrospect, Democrats won't find much to praise in Justice Kennedy's decision to allow perpetual redistricting and to force the issue immediately by declaring an intentionally racially discriminatory gerrymander a violation of the VRA.  Although I agree with much of the VRA part of his decision, one of its consequences may well be to give the Republicans cover to exploit the partisan gerrymandering part of the decision beyond even what they did in 2003.
Morgan


Prof. of History and Social Science, Caltech
snail mail:  228-77 Caltech, Pasadena, CA 91125-7700
phone 626-395-4080, fax 626-405-9841
home page:  <http://www.hss.caltech.edu/~kousser/Kousser.html>
to order Colorblind Injustice:  <http://uncpress.unc.edu/books/T-388.html>
"Peace if possible, Justice at any rate" -- Wendell Phillips



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