Dallas Democrats can take solace in countywide redistricting

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http://www.dallasnews.com/news/columnists/gromer-jeffers-jr/20110606-dallas-democrats-can-take-solace-in-countywide-redistricting.ece

By Gromer Jeffers Jr.

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Related items Democrats licking their wounds from a brutal Texas redistricting process should look to Dallas County for solace.

While the Texas Legislature has drawn state House and U.S. congressional maps that look to increase the GOP’s Lone Star dominance, the Dallas County Commissioners Court is poised to approve new county boundaries that will likely cement control by local Democrats for decades to come.

“We’re going to have a map that’s fair,” said Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said. “In the process, we’re also going to continue the success Democrats have had in Dallas County.”

The new boundaries for the Commissioners Court are expected to be approved Tuesday without fireworks.

The plan would alter the district now represented by Republican Mike Cantrell . It would be composed of south White Rock Lake, south Garland , parts of Mesquite and other areas.

The majority-minority district would be more than 40 percent Hispanic and more than 20 percent African-American.

That means that Cantrell, perhaps the most independent voice of the court, would lose an election against any Democrat who could simply stand up, mumble or stamp a foot.

It also strengthens the district now represented by Democrat Elba Garcia.

Under the new plan, there would be one solid Republican district, and it would include much of the area now represented by Republican Maurine Dickey, who will not seek re-election.

Democrats could have drawn boundaries to put Dickey’s district at risk of turning blue but wisely chose not to overreach and threaten their advantages in the rest of the county.