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Connie Brown Collins felt ecstatic when a Wyandotte County judge recently struck down a congressional redistricting map drawn by the Republican-led Kansas Legislature.

The Kansas City, Kansas, resident said she and others repeatedly told lawmakers that the map unfairly split racially diverse Wyandotte County into two separate congressional districts. They argued the districts were drawn to drown out their votes to help Republican candidates win elections in all four of the states congressional districts.

Additionally, residents in Lawrence made a similar argument about shifting the Democratic stronghold into the deep-red 1st District that represents western Kansas.

It took a first-of-its-kind ruling from District Court Judge Bill Klapper to, for now, strike down the map.

Now that the ruling has been handed down, said Brown Collins, a plaintiff in the case, Im just very, very happy.

Now the state has appealed Klappers ruling to the Kansas Supreme Court.

The states highest court is scheduled to take up the case in May. That sets the stage for the justices to issue a landmark ruling on how far one political party in Kansas can gerrymander congressional districts.

But the justices will need to act quickly to meet a looming June 1 deadline, which is the registration deadline for candidates to file for election. That will stretch to June 10 if a map is not finalized by May 10.

On Friday, the court announced it scheduled the case to be heard on May 16, all but ensuring the registration deadline will be extended. Heres what could happen next:

Kansas Supreme Court hears appeal

The court will first hear oral arguments from attorneys in the case. The defendants in the case, who are representing the state and appealing the ruling, will need to argue Klapper misapplied state law.

Meanwhile, attorneys representing the plaintiffs in the case will argue that Klappers ruling is correct.

Unlike the trial in Wyandotte County, the court will not hear any new testimony or evidence. The justices will simply decide whether Klappers properly followed the Kansas Constitution.

Justices look at two separate issues in ruling

The court will face two specific issues: whether the state law protects Kansans from both political and racial gerrymandering.

Washburn University law professor Christopher Gunn, an elections expert, said the court only needs to uphold Klappers decision on one of those issues. He believes Klappers ruling on the racial gerrymander issue is much easier to sort out because state law is more strict in protecting Kansans from race discrimination.

But Gunn wants the court to consider both and issue a ruling that will set the standard for what constitutes racial and political gerrymandering for years to come.

Im hoping the justices on our supreme court take the time to look through these issues and identify for us what this is so that, at least for Kansans, this issue is largely put to rest, Gunn said.

Supreme Court orders vary based on ruling

If the court chooses to uphold Klappers ruling, it will have a few options on how to handle the issue going forward.

First, it would likely order the Kansas Legislature to redraw the map with stipulations that it doesnt again create racially and politically gerrymandered districts.

But because the deadline for candidates is close at hand, the court may order the 2020 maps to stay in effect for the 2022 midterm elections, Gunn said.

Alternatively, the justices could order the district court, specifically Klapper, to draw new districts to be put into place before the deadline. Gunn said that is less likely, but not unheard of. He noted the 2020 congressional district map was drawn by a federal court judge in 2012.

There is also the chance the map that was struck down is resurrected. The justices could disagree with Klapper and rule that he misapplied the state law. If that occurs, the congressional map drawn by the Republican-dominated Legislature would be reinstated to exist for the next 10 years.

Brown Collins said she hopes the court upholds Klappers ruling and lawmakers take her concerns into account when redrawing the districts.

If they send the map back to be redrawn by the Legislature, I just hope that they heed what the community has told them over and over and over, she said.

Dylan Lysen reports on politics for the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanLysen or email him at dlysen (at) kcur (dot) org.

The Kansas News Service is a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and their connection to public policy.

Kansas News Service stories and photos may be republished by news media at no cost with proper attribution and a link to ksnewsservice.org.

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The Kansas Supreme Court to say if Republicans gerrymandered the state's congressional map - KCUR

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This year's midterms are shaping up to be one of the biggest tests Democrats face with a once reliable sector of the electorate: Latino voters.

According to polling by Quinnipiac University, done in early April, Biden's approval among Hispanic voters sits at just 26%. That same poll found approval with White voters at 31% and Black voters at 63-percent. When it comes to the most urgent issues facing the country today, Latino voters said inflation was the biggest concern at 31%. Coming in at a tie for second place is immigration and the war in Ukraine at 12-percent.

A sign reading, "Se habla Espanol", identifies a bilingual election official as voters go to the polls for Super Tuesday primaries in the predominantly Latino neighborhood of Boyle Heights on February 5, 2008 in Los Angeles, California. (David McNew/ Getty Images)

Fox News sent crews around the country to talk to Hispanic voters about immigration and what matters most in deciding their vote.

BIDEN'S PLAN TO CANCEL STUDENT DEBT ISN'T DEBT FORGIVENESS, IT'S DEBT FOR ALL

In Orlando, Florida, Fox News found Leticia Andaverde, who says her biggest worries right now are the price of gas and maintaining good employment. When asked if she feels the influx of migrants at southern border will impact how she votes in November, she told Fox News, yes.

"I feel the more people you add in a home, the more problems it can create," Andaverde said. "There's a lot of American people right now in need. And they're giving people that come from other countries the help where there's already enough people here that need that help."

In this Sept. 29, 2020 file photo, Eddie Collantes stands with an American flag draped around his shoulders as he attends a debate watch party hosted by the Miami Young Republicans, Latinos for Trump, and other groups in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)

North of where Andaverde lives, in Charlotte, North Carolina, Edgar Ulises says he worries most about the economy and says he thinks the American dream is gone. However, Ulises doesn't think the immigration issue is to blame.

"I don't think so, because the economy problems are already here," Ulises says,"everything is going up, everything is getting more expensive. And then I think that the immigration problem's never going to change, like the United States is a country built by immigrants and everybody is going to try to come to the United States all the time." Ulises says he didn't vote for former President Trump in 2020, but would in 2024. He also says he feels the Biden Administration is dealing with the southern border crisis well, "but the main problem is not how they handle it. It is the way they're telling people they're going to fix it and they don't."

BIDEN THINKS STUDENT LOAN BORROWERS DESERVE A BLANK CHECK FROM TAXPAYERS

Heading West, Fox News found Hector Zaragoza in Las Vegas, Nevada, who calls the current administration's handling of illegal immigration, 'very poor, very sad." Zaragoza worries for the victims of sex trafficking and expressed frustration over the decision to end Title 42. "I believe it is, it's just like opening the borders and saying, welcome. That's all he's doing."

Voters cast ballots at the Fairfax County Government Center on November 02, 2021 in Fairfax, Virginia. (Getty Images)

Further west, in Los Angeles Toki Muriel says her biggest issues are immigration and crime. But her concerns revolve around the sluggishness of immigration processing.

"As far as like being able to become a legal permanent resident, you know, just, it just takes forever. And I get, you know, I wish that something there was something that could be done to speed up that process a little bit."

Also in L.A., Rudolph Zalez. He doesn't like the state of California's biggest city. He worries about the homeless problem, that can be seen just feet from where he is standing.

On immigration and the Biden Administration's handling of it, Zalez says, "I feel like the government is just sweeping under the rug, everything. And because it doesn't get reported, they pretend it's not happening. And then again, us as residents, we deal with the consequences."

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According to research by the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO), at least 11.6 million Latinos will cast ballots in 2022, a 71.4 percent increase in the number of Latino voters from 2014.

Read more from the original source:
Republicans have an edge in midterms with Latino voters, new poll shows - Fox News

Ever since the House of Representatives instituted proxy voting a procedure that allows members of Congress to vote on behalf of their colleagues Republicans have made their opposition to the practice clear.

When the House voted in May 2020 to allow proxy voting due to the public health emergency spurred by COVID-19, every single Republican lawmaker voted against the measure. Days later, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy sued House Speaker Nancy Pelosi over it, challenging the constitutionality of proxy voting.

"It is a brazen violation of the Constitution, a dereliction of our duty as elected officials, and would silence the American people's voice during a crisis," McCarthy said at the time. "Democrats are creating a precedent for further injustice. If their changes are acceptable, what stops the majority from creating a 'House Rule' that stipulates the minority party's votes only count for half of the majority party's?"

Ultimately, the Supreme Court declined to hear the complaint in January 2022. Republicans have also claimed that Pelosi only keeps the procedure in place to this day in order to shore up Democrats' razor-thin majority.

But with time, Republicans have begun to break with their stated opposition to the practice and attest that they are "unable to physically attend proceedings in the House Chamber due to the ongoing public health emergency" while dealing with health issues, the births of children, political events, and ailing family members.

Insider analyzed the data from each of the over 700 roll call votes taken by the House between May 20, 2020 until April 7, 2022, analyzing which members used the practice most frequently.

While proxy voting is still overwhelmingly used by Democrats versus Republicans, Insider identified 15 Republican House members who've cast over 100 proxy votes in the last two years.

Read more:
15 Republicans proxy voted over 100 times despite their opposition to it - Business Insider

This week on mypodcastReal America, I sat down with Rep. Michelle Steel (R-Calif.) and Rep. Young Kim (R-Calif.), the first two Republican Korean American women to serve in Congress, to discuss how Democrats are leaving Asian Americans behind.

On the eve of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, the Republican National Committee is highlighting our efforts to reach communities Democrats take for granted. As Democrats run further left, their radical agenda has become out of step with voters. Americans of all backgrounds are discovering that theres never been a better or more important time to vote Republican.

The GOP has been making inroads into the Asian American community for years. Under the Trump administration, Republicans saw a7 percent gainwith Asian Americans from 2016 to 2020. The shift was even greater among Vietnamese Americans, who experienced a14 percent shift towardRepublican candidates. And if that news wasnt bad enough for Democrats,43 percent of the Asian American and Pacific Islander communitysee race relations getting worse under Joe Biden.

Meanwhile, the RNC is building relationships with Asian Americans by opening Asian Pacific American community centers in California, Georgia, Texas and a brand new one in Nevada, with more to come. These grassroots, local offices are part of how were building relationships with Asian Americans and taking our message of law and order, educational opportunity, and economic growth to new voters.

Asian Americans arent the only community where the RNC is making inroads. While Democrats push socialism, radical abortion policies and refer to them as Latinx, Hispanic Americans are concerned about preserving freedoms, raising strong families and putting food on the table. Its no wonder a recent Quinnipiacpollfound that Bidens approval rating with Hispanic voters was lower than any other racial or ethnic group: just 12 percent say they approve strongly of his time in office.

In fact, polls consistently show Hispanics are moving away from the Democratic Party. A Wall Street Journalpollfrom December found that Hispanic voters were equally divided over who they would vote for in the next election. The momentum certainly seems to be with the GOP: A record103 Republican Hispanic candidatesare seeking congressional seats this year. Its an early sign that our efforts to take our message to new voters and investment in Hispanic community centers in states like Texas, Wisconsin and Florida are making an impact.

A similar pattern is playing out among Black voters, who have been particularly hard hit by Democrats destructive agenda. Democratic support for the defund-the-police movement has led to asurge in violent crimethats disproportionately impacting Black Americans. Inflation is hitting Black Americans especially women hardest, with 44 percent saying rising prices pose a serious financial hardship. Thats why Black support for Democrats is quickly eroding: Backing for Democratic Congressional candidates fell from 56 percent in November to only 35 percent in March.

Its no better for Biden, whose approval with Black Americans plummeted 30pointssince he took office. Black GOP Congressional candidates like Texas Wesley Hunt and Michigans John James are proof that skin color doesnt dictate values or political affiliation. Our strategic engagement with Black Republican candidates, elected officials, and community leaders through our RNC Black American community centers are helping Republicans establish a presence in districts previously dominated by Democrats all over the country.

These trends are part of a broader story. For generations, Democrats thought they had a monopoly on minority voters. But now, Democrats failed promises, polarizing agenda and rising prices are catching up with them. Were building relationships and making significant investments in these communities. Were winning over new voters by taking our message of freedom and opportunity to their doorstep. And were identifying and equipping young Republican leaders from minority communities through our RNC Rising Star program.

Democrats are simply doubling down on their failed policies and overplaying their divisive rhetoric without offering solutions or plans to keep families safe, empower entrepreneurs and create opportunities for advancement. Meanwhile, Republicans are committed to enacting policies that will lift all Americans from every background. Come November, Democrats will be in for a rude awakening.

Ronna McDaniel is chairwoman of the Republican National Committee. Follow her on Twitter: @GOPChairwoman.

Link:
Minorities are finding a new political home with the Republican Party - The Hill

But if Trump does not run for president in 2024 or if his popularity within the party fades by then New Hampshire will be a critical testing ground, and potential competitors are already assessing Sununus potential pull. Thats because, following the Iowa caucuses, any candidate resting their candidacy on a more moderate, nonevangelical base of support potential candidates such as former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie or Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan will desperately need a strong showing in New Hampshire, where moderates traditionally go to win over a more socially moderate Republicans and independents.

Im just looking at the path forward, said one adviser to Hogan. Sununu causes chaos for a large part of the 2024 field if he runs.

Even if Sununu doesnt run, he will be a highly sought-after endorser in the state. For potential candidates, said Wayne MacDonald, a New Hampshire lawmaker and former state Republican Party chair, Sununu will be, at that point, a fourth-term Republican governor. He has a great organization and a strong base of support, and that endorsement is going to be very important.

Trump, perhaps, is the one exception to that rule. He easily won the New Hampshire primary in 2016 and again in 2020, and its unclear if any Republican Sununu included could defeat him there.

Lewandowski said at a Mar-a-Lago event earlier this month that if Sununu does run against Trump in 2024, there is 0.000001 percent chance that Chris Sununu will be the Republican nominee for president of the United States.

Lewandowski suggested there is still time for Trumpworld to jettison Sununu with the filing deadline not until June.

I think Chris is very vulnerable in a Republican primary, so well see if somebody runs against him, he said.

Sununu has not been as critical of Trump as some Republicans, like Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse or Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson. Sununu supported Trump in 2020 and insists he is not anti-Trump.

But Sununu has rejected Trumps baseless claims that the 2020 election was rigged, calling him misinformed. In another break with Trump, the governor said people convicted of participating in the riot at the Capitol on Jan. 6 should not be pardoned, and he said he didnt need Trump to campaign with him in New Hampshire.

Then came the Gridiron Club dinner in Washington, D.C., where Sununu later said he was simply telling jokes.

The needling of the former president which is frowned on under the GOPs current iteration does not appear to have hurt Sununu. In the latest Saint Anselm College poll, Sununu ranks favorably among men, women and people of all age groups and education levels in New Hampshire. Despite his moderate profile, he is viewed favorably by 86 percent of Republicans, and more than 80 percent of people who describe themselves as very conservative.

Hes navigated the Trump stuff, just objectively, politically really well, said Fergus Cullen, a former New Hampshire Republican Party chair. He knows when to hug him, and when to push him away.

Meridith McGraw and Stephanie Murray contributed to this report.

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The one Republican Trump can't touch - POLITICO