Maverick County at the Forefront of Redistricting Litigation

By: Jose G. Landa

New redistricting but same old problem. The Republican Texas Legislatures Redistricting Maps have once again placed Maverick County in two different Congressional districts in a blatant attempt to discriminate and dilute Maverick County’s heavily Democratic voters strength.

In 2003, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Maverick County belonged in the 23rd Congressional district, causing the electoral defeat of Republican Congressman Henry Bonilla to Democrat Ciro D. Rodriguez. In 2011, Maverick County was placed in two Congressional districts with everyone living north of U.S. Highway 277 and Main Street belonging to the 23rd Congressional district currently held by Republican Congressman Quico Canseco of San Antonio and everyone South of Highway U.S. 277 and Main Street belonging to the 28th Congressional District held by Democrat Henry Cuellar of Laredo.

Maverick County Judge David Saucedo just returned from Washington, D.C. last week where he testified in the pending redistricting litigation in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in Washington, D.C. against the Republican Texas Legislature’s Redistricting Maps and the splitting of Maverick County into two Congressional districts. The Republican controlled Texas Legislature Redistricting Maps intentionally discriminate against Texas Latinos, African-American, and minorities from electing their own to the Texas House of Representatives, Senate, and Congress by gerrymandering district lines to favor Republicans despite the fact that Texas’ population growth and gain of four Congressional seats is fueled by the growth of Latinos in Texas.Maverick County Judge Saucedo stated that the citizens of Maverick County request to be kept in the 23rd Congressional district instead of being split into two districts.

Once again Maverick County is at the forefront of the Texas Redistricting Litigation as Republicans attempt to dilute its citizens’ heavily Democratic voters.