Ill. GOP files suit to nullify remap

Republican leaders in the General Assembly made good Wednesday on their threat to file a lawsuit over the Democratic-drawn remap of state legislative districts.

House Republican leader Tom Cross and Senate Republican leader Christine Radogno allege in the federal lawsuit that the map shortchanges black and Hispanic voters and unfairly dilutes Republican voting strength.

Local Republican lawmakers, who have expressed concern over how the proposed map divides McHenry County, welcomed news of the lawsuit.

“[The map] isn’t unusual when you have one-party control,” state Rep. Mike Tryon, R-Crystal Lake, said. “This map doesn’t fairly represent some areas of the state.”

State lawmakers must redraw state and Congressional boundaries after every decennial U.S. Census. For the first time since the 1970 Illinois Constitution laid down the process, one party had control of it – the Democratic Party controls both houses and the governor’s office. Gov. Pat Quinn signed the maps into law last month.

The lawsuit alleges that the map violates the federal and state Constitutions, as well as protections to black and Hispanic voters under the Voting Rights Act. Quinn’s office issued a statement defending the map – he is out of the country on a trip to Israel.

“This open and transparent process resulted in a map that represents our diverse state and protects the voting rights of minorities,” the statement said.

The map divides McHenry County among five representative districts. They divide Crystal Lake among three representative and three Senate districts. Tryon, who represents the 64th District, intends to run in the new 66th District, which covers Crystal Lake and Lakewood south through Carpentersville to Elgin.

Sen. Pam Althoff, R-McHenry, also supports the lawsuit, despite her new expanded district being advantageous to her. Neither Althoff nor Tryon said they expect that the districts they are seeking in 2012 would change much if the lawsuit is successful.

“The issue is not about Pam Althoff,” Althoff said. “It’s about the fairness to every single Illinois constituent and taxpayer.”

All 59 Senate seats and 118 House seats will be up for election in 2012.

The GOP soon is expected to file another lawsuit over the state’s congressional map. The map is aimed at eliminating the party’s suburban gains in the 2010 election by lumping them together or drawing freshmen legislators in districts of veteran Democratic representatives.