NEW BRUNSWICK — A tea party group plans to hold a demonstration in New Brunswick this evening, right outside the hotel where members of the commission redrawing the state’s 40 legislative districts has been holed up. Tea party member Russell Cote, who helped draw a proposed legislative district map his group said followed the state Constitution as closely as...
NEW BRUNSWICK — A tea party group plans to hold a demonstration in New Brunswick this evening, right outside the hotel where members of the commission redrawing the state’s 40 legislative districts has been holed up.
Tea party member Russell Cote, who helped draw a proposed legislative district map his group said followed the state Constitution as closely as possible with no consideration for incumbents, said the demonstration is to demand commissioners adopt a map free of partisan considerations.
“It’s more of a demonstration to say adopt our map,” said Cote. “The Bayshore tea party map is unimpeachable at every level.”
Among the constitutional requirements the tea party was guided by was that districts must be in one piece, should be as compact as possible and that counties should be split as few times as necessary.
The tea party’s map would pit several incumbents, including some of the most powerful elected officials in the state, against each other.
Alan Rosenthal, the tiebreaking commissioner, said earlier this month that he will consider continuity of representation a factor in the map, meaning that as many people as possible should be represented by their current lawmakers when the new map takes effect.
“Translated into English that means incumbent protection,” said Cote.
The new map, which sets legislative district boundaries for the next 10 years, is due Sunday.
Previous coverage:
• N.J. redistricting commission returns to redrawing legislative districts after Christie visit
• Gov. Christie makes 'unusual' appearance at commission meeting to draw new legislative district map
• Early N.J. legislative redistricting plans by Republicans, Democrats widely diverge
• Tea party group submits proposed N.J. legislative redistricting map to commission
• N.J. redistricting commission struggles over redrawing legislative districts
• Rutgers professor appointed to redistricting commission downplays newfound power
• Rutgers professor to likely cast deciding vote in redrawing N.J. legislative districts
• Rutgers professor is appointed as tie-breaking 11th member on N.J. redistricting commission