It is the responsibility of the state legislature to draw congressional districts for the state. It has that responsibility every ten years in response to the state’s growth as recorded by the U.S. Census.
It is expected that legislatures controlled by Republicans will draw new districts that are favorable to their party. Democrats do the same when they are in control.
What was not expected in Southeast Texas was that the GOP would propose a change that would alter a great deal of the 18th Congressional District, represented by U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) since 1995. The initial proposal moved major parts of the district, including Jackson Lee’s home, out of the 18th.
See more of Congressman Jackson Lee’s interview on this week’s program and on HOUSTON NEWSMAKERS EXTRA.
“I am glad that along with my colleague, Congressman Al Green, we stayed united to ensure that the constituents we represent would be first and foremost in our minds,” said Jackson Lee. “We were not looking to partisanship or politics. We’re focused on representation.”
The final version of the redistricting plan left most of the 18th and the 9th, represented by U.S. Rep. Al Green in their original configurations, but laid bare the tone of the partisan politics in place locally and nationally. Jackson Lee is a guest on this weeks Houston Newsmakers with Khambrel Marshall and talks about redistricting, the future of the Biden agenda, the Texas abortion law and much more.
Democracy is Messy!
Congressman Al Green, (D) 9th is also a guest on this week’s program and says the optics of Democrats disagreeing about how to pass the Biden agenda through Congress should not be a surprise.
“This is what Democracy looks like and we will get it done,” he said. “It may not be too the extent that all of us would like to see it done but we’ll get it done.”
Green also acknowledged that with Democrats in control of the three legislative branches, he and voters should expect results.
“When you have just one branch of government, maybe two, there’s an expectation that you’ll get things done, but when you have all three, there is an obligation to get things done,” he said.
See more of Congressman Green’s interview on this week’s program and on HOUSTON NEWSMAKERS EXTRA.
- More Information: Houston Newsmakers with Khambrel Marshall airs Sundays at 10:30am.
- · U.S. Representative Al Green, (D) 9th Congressional District
- · Website: https://algreen.house.gov/
- · U.S. Representative Sheila Jackson Lee, (D) 18th Congressional District
- · Website: https://jacksonlee.house.gov/