TOPEKA — Kansas Republican senators over the course of a three-hour debate Friday countered criticisms of their plan for the state’s congressional district boundaries, passing the controversial “Ad Astra” map.
Opponents argued Republican leadership rushed the map and did not do enough to preserve the integrity of minority communities and other communities of interest, pointing to the decision to divide Wyandotte County along Interstate 70 and to move Lawrence into a rural district that stretches to the Colorado border. Democrats described the proposed map as an attempt to shift power in favor of one party by shattering the 3rd Congressional District.
Senate President Ty Masterson batted away those criticisms, arguing that his map maintained the same voting outcomes as previous elections and noting a desire to keep Johnson County together, as opposed to Wyandotte.
“We don’t draw the maps on voters. We draw the map on residents,” Masterson said, pushing back on the discussion of voting outcomes. “It’s a false assertion that this 3rd District is somehow given up or that anybody is trying to be taken out. It’s just simply false in the numbers.”
Stakeholders and concerned legislators have called into question the goal of redistricting amid strong pushback from the public. Republicans swatted away several alternative maps on the Senate floor, passing the bill mostly along party lines, 26 to 9.
Changes to congressional boundaries must occur following population changes in the four districts from 2010 to 2020. Masterson said the four members of the Kansas congressional delegation — Rep. Tracey Mann in the vast and rural 1st District, Rep. Jake LaTurner in the 2nd District, Sharice Davids in the Kansas City metro area 3rd District and Rep. Ron Estes in the Wichita area 4th District — would maintain their seats.
Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes said the bill violated several redistricting guidelines agreed to by legislative leadership and showed little regard for the economic, cultural and historical ties of communities across the state.
“It’s never been about keeping our communities together,” Sykes said. “The majority party has used selective listening to justify a map that makes no sense for Kansas, unless you see congressional districts as a means to one party control rather than fundamental to the democratic representation.”
The Ad Astra map, unveiled Tuesday and approved by a Senate committee Thursday, is also under consideration in the House, where a committee vote could occur as soon as Monday.
Sykes proposed an amendment to replace the map with a version far more favorable to Democrats that preserved Wyandotte County and Lawrence but split part of Johnson County. Republicans balked at the idea and voted down the map.
Sen. David Haley represents part of Wyandotte County. He said even if Republicans push the map through, it will face a tough test in court.
“Ad Astra means, as we know in our motto, ‘to the stars,’” the Kansas City, Kansas Democrat said. “The rest of that motto is per aspera (through difficulty) because it’s going to be difficult to make that map stick.”
Sen. Rick Wilborn, a McPherson Republican, said it was the best option available to Kansas.
“Many of the proposed maps have deviations and variances, which are questionable at the very best,” Wilborn said.
The bill now awaits action from the House. If approved, the map would go to the governor, who declined to say in a briefing with reporters Friday if she approved of the map passed by the Senate.
