Illinois Republicans sue over Democrat-drawn remap

 By Rick Pearson

The state’s top Republican legislative leaders today led the filing of a federal lawsuit challenging a Democratic-drawn remapping of the state’s House and Senate districts, alleging it unfairly discriminates against African Americans and Latinos.

But the lawsuit by Senate GOP leader Christine Radogno of Lemont and House Republican leader Tom Cross of Oswego, also is a reflection that the new map targets the Republicans to remain out of power in the General Assembly for the next decade.

“The bizarre shapes of several districts…is in furtherance of a deliberate attempt to enhance Democrats’ prospects for re-election and target Republicans to prevent their re-election,” the suit stated. Many districts were intended to “slither across traditional lines in order to place multiple incumbent Republicans into one district," according to the suit.

Republicans say the new map pits 19 House Republican members against other GOP incumbents, or in unfamiliar territory against Democratic lawmakers. The proposal also puts eight Senate Republicans against each other. No Democratic incumbents face a challenge from other sitting Democrats.