POLS 1337 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Tom Delay, Ronnie Earle, Gerrymandering
22 Oct 2016
School
Department
Course
Professor
Week 8
2000
• 10-year consensus (mandated by US Constitution)
• Texas passes NY to become 2nd most populous state
• Texas increases from 30 US House Representatives to 32 US House Representatives
(Reapportionment)
• November election
o US House Representatives as of 1990
▪ 17 Democrats
▪ 13 Republicans
2001
• After the census, every state redraws the US House, State Senate and State House districts
within their states. (Redistricting)
o US Senate is not redrawn because it is an at large election and they represent the entire
state, not districts.
o It is up to each individual state to decide how the districts are redrawn
▪ Majority of states give that task to the state legislature (Texas is one of these
states)
▪ Some states have an independent panel that redraws the districts
o Once the maps are redrawn, they are submitted as a bill and after it passes both houses,
the governor approves it and it is law.
• Texas House is majority Democrat; Teas Seate is ajorit Repulia ad the a’t agree o
how the maps are redrawn
o Ultimately goes to the Legislative Redistricting Board (LRB) to redraw
▪ 5-person board
• Lt. Governor of Texas - Republican
• Attorney General of Texas - Republican
• Comptroller of Texas – Republican
• Land Commissioner of Texas - Republican
• Speaker of the Texas House – Democrat
▪ Lt. Governor & Speaker proposed a plan to benefit the incumbents
▪ The other 3 propose a plan to favor Republicans
o Federal Court steps in to redraw the districts as impartially as they can
2002
• Tom Delay was a Republican Whip in US House of Representatives from Sugarland
o Arguably the single best Republican in the country before 2000 at raising money for
himself and his party
o Single most effective whip in history
▪ Had getting the number of votes for anything needed down to a science
▪ Made safe Republicans vote for their part…. Or else
▪ Only made battleground Republicans vote for the party if he absolutely had to
▪ Comes up with a plan to give Republicans the majority of the House in Texas
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Governor of texas - republican: attorney general of texas - republican, comptroller of texas republican, speaker of the texas house democrat. Governor & speaker proposed a plan to benefit the incumbents: the other 3 propose a plan to favor republicans, federal court steps in to redraw the districts as impartially as they can. Or else: only made battleground republicans vote for the party if he absolutely had to, comes up with a plan to give republicans the majority of the house in texas. 2003: republicans try to redraw the districts for the us house districts and democrats are like wtf. Heflin lost the vote to the first asian american in texas legislature. 2010: delay is convicted of money laundering in november and is sentenced in january 2011, 3 years of prison and 10 years probation, charged/sentenced in travis county (super liberal)
