Clark County Republican Party Supports Hispanic Majority-Minority District

(Clark County Republican Party) – On Monday and Tuesday, judicial hearings were held in Las Vegasand Carson City concerning the redistricting of state’s Legislative and Congressional districts that reflect demographic changes determined by the 2010 census.  The hearings were held by three Special Masters appointed by Carson City District Judge James T. Russell.  Judge Russell tasked the Masters to complete their redistricting maps by October 21^st.

In response to sentiment in the Hispanic community, the Nevada Republican Party strongly argued that there should be a Congressional District with a majority Hispanic population that presents an opportunity for a Hispanic Representative to be elected to Congress.  The Republican redistricting plan submitted to the Legislature provided a Hispanic Congressional District and 12 Hispanic Legislative Districts.  The Democrats, who controlled the 2011 Legislature, would not even allow this plan to be brought to the floor for consideration.  At the redistricting hearings, the Democrats were adamant in their opposition to a “majority-minority” Congressional District that would provide representation to Hispanics.

The attorneys for the Republican Party pointed out the unfairness of the two redistricting plans submitted to Governor Sandoval by the Democrats.  The Governor wisely vetoed both bills.  Not only were these plans unfair to Hispanics, both plans were grossly politically biased.  Each Democratic plan, and every subsequent plan submitted to the court by the Democrats, would assure that the Democrats would control both the state senate and the assembly until the next census 10 years from now.  The Democrats forced this result by drawing Legislative districts such that over sixty percent of the districts would have a safe majority of Democrats,  thus guaranteeing that both the assembly and senate would remained under the firm control of the Democrats.

Republicans who testified at the hearing requested the special masters to provide redistricting that would assure that all of State’s people would be represented fairly in the Legislature, not just the Democrats.

Clark County Republican Party Vice Chairman Woody Stroupe stated that the redistricting lines should be fair both politically and geographically.  He also stated that the Hispanics deserve fair representation, as they make up almost 25 percent ofNevada’s population.

Rick Houghtelling, Clark County Republican Party executive board member and chairman of the Legislative Committee stated that the new district lines should be drawn by population as required by the US Constitution and Nevada Law, without any partisan gerrymandering, so that every Nevadan has an equal vote in our elections.