A day after state Sen. Nan Rich, D-Weston, complained about the latest congressional redistricting maps, a tea party leader told Democrats to put up or shut up.
"My question for all Democrats is this: 'Where are your maps?'"Henry Kelley said in a Wednesday interview with Sunshine State News.
"Yesterday, not one Democrat introduced an amendment on the Senate maps.That's unconscionable behavior if you believe elected officials are there to do something, instead of just criticize the maps," said the head of the Fort Walton Beach Tea Party.
Kelley, who drew and submitted legislative and congressional maps to the state's redistricting website, said nay-saying Democrats protest too much.
By his calculations, the congressional districts outlined by the Senate would be more competitive than the current districts -- where Republicans hold a 19-6 advantage.
By some estimates, the partisan split could be 17-10 when Florida adds two seats next year.
Democratic strategist Steve Schale's initial analysis of the seven congressional maps unveiled by the House on Tuesday, suggests that more Republicans will be at risk under those plans, as well.
"Depending on the version, the Democrats should gain two seats based on the House proposals, with another two to three true tossups, and two to three more that are definitely competitive," Schale wrote on his blog site.
Among the Republicans facing bluer districts: Reps. Sandy Adams, R-Orlando; Allen West, R-Plantation; Steve Southerland, R-Tallahassee; and Tom Rooney, R-Tequesta.
Like the Senate version, House proposals lock in the seats held by black Democrats Corrine Brown and Alcee Hastings, carve out a Democratic-friendly Hispanic district in Central Florida, and balance that with a GOP-leaning district located around Lake County.
Even veteran Rep. John Mica, R-Orlando, could have a rockier road to re-election, Schale said.
"Mica could have a real race. The majority of the proposals place the northern end of St. Johns County -- some of the most Republican voters in the state -- into the new Duval-based Ander Crenshaw seat. When they do that, they create a district that is 50-50, or maybe even a touch better for Democrats," Schale wrote.
Nevertheless, Rich complained that the maps too closely resemble those approved a decade ago.
"I think that the voters tell us they wanted a clean slate, not a map-making adjustment to gerrymandered maps that were adopted 10 years ago," the state Senate minority leader said.
Still, six of the nine Democrats on the Senate redistricting panel voted to approve the maps on Tuesday. Just three Democrats voted no.
In the 2008 presidential election, 15 of Florida's congressional districts voted for Republican John McCain and 10 went for Barack Obama.
Under the various versions unveiled Tuesday, the districts would have gone Republican by as little as 14-13 or as much as 16-11, according to an analysis by the News Service of Florida.
No matter which way the lines are drawn, Republican strategist Randy Nielsen predicted that the maps will end up in court.
"The Democratic Party has lost so many statewide and legislative elections that their rallying call to the voters' repeated rejections has become: 'Fine, youll see our lawyers in court.'
Reach Kenric Ward at kward@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 801-5341.
