Who's In, Who's Out in Latest Dem Map?
Rep. Chris Miller (R-Oakland) speaks at an anti-mask rally in Springfield last year. Miller has been moved out of a safe Republican district into a new district that likely leads to a primary with Rep. Adam Niemerg (R-Dieterich).
The latest draft of Democrat-drawn legislative maps made changes to some Democratic districts with population disparities, but also left many Republicans in a sticky situation.
Here’s the rundown:
Rep. Lamont Robinson (D-Chicago)’s district approved in May came in quite heavy in population, so Democrats pulled River North and the Near North Side out of his new district. It still runs from around Huron & State downtown south to 77th and South Chicago Ave. It looks like they shifted Rep. Margaret Croke south and Rep. Ann Williams east to clean those districts up.
Interestingly enough, Waveland Ave. in the left field bleachers at Wrigley Field became the dividing line between Williams and House Majority Leader Greg Harris. Theoretically, Kris Bryant would have hit a home run into a new legislative district. (I miss Kris Bryant.)
Rep. Barbara Hernandez (D-Aurora) had a population thousands below the necessary levels in her new district after census results were released moves to the new 50th House District. The district includes most of Aurora and runs north to about the Batavia city limit.
Rep. Maura Hirschauer (D-Batavia) loses any of Aurora and North Aurora that she had in the May version of the map. She gets the east side of Batavia, West Chicago, Fermilab, some of Elgin and South Elgin, and most of Bartlett. Though it looks like she’ll avoid a member vs. member race against Rep. Seth Lewis (R-Bartlett), who is in the southern part of Bartlett and in the new 47th. Hirschauer’s new district will go from Elgin to Country Lakes Park on the northern edge of Naperville.
Rep. Stephanie Kifowit (D-Oswego) moves from the current 84th to the 49th back to the 84th. The district includes Fox Valley Mall to the north and follows Route 34 into Oswego. I don’t have a partisan breakdown on this one, but eye test makes me think it may be a tougher fight than in previous years if Republicans get a good candidate.
In the corresponding Senate districts…Sen. Karina Villa (D-West Chicago) changes district number (25 to 42 back to 25), gets more of Aurora and moves north into Bartlett, South Elgin, and Elgin.
Sen. Linda Holmes (D-Aurora) also changes district number (42 to 25 back to 42) and gets a little less of Aurora.
Senate Democrats are still trying to push indicted Sen. Tom Cullerton (D-Villa Park) out, leaving him drawn into a potential primary with Sen. Suzy Glowiak-Hilton (D-Western Springs).
A potential member vs. member showdown remains in the latest map. Rep. Deb Conroy (D-Elmhurst) and Rep. Deanne Mazzochi (R-Elmhurst) remain in the new 46th together.
Rep. Adam Niemerg (R-Dieterich) and Rep. Chris Miller (R-Oakland) have been moved in to the 102nd District together. Miller had been placed in the new 101st, that district now has Hoopeston, Mahomet, Tuscola, and Mattoon-Charleston with no incumbent.
Rep. Tony McCombie (R-Savana) and Rep. Andrew Chesney (R-Freeport) are no longer drawn together. McCombie gets the new 89th district, which includes Galena, Byron, and Oregon, running all the way east into DeKalb County. Chesney would be drawn in with former Rep. John Cabello, who had been considering a run in a new district without an incumbent.
In potentially working around Cabello, Dems also stuck it to Rep. Joe Sosnowski (R-Rockford), who has been drawn into a potential primary with Rep. Steve Reick (R-Woodstock).
It appears most Republican member vs. member primaries continue to exist. Rep. Chris Bos (R-Lake Zurich) and Rep. Tom Morrison (R-Palatine) remain drawn together in the new 51st. Rep. Amy Grant (R-Wheaton) & Rep. Seth Lewis (R-Bartlett) remain together in the new 42nd.
It also looks like Rep. Randy Frese (R-Paloma) and Rep. CD Davidsmeyer (R-Jacksonville) remain drawn together in the new 99th. Rep. Avery Bourne (R-Morrisonville) & Rep. Mike Murphy (R-Springfield) remain drawn together in the new 108th. Murphy’s family and Bourne’s family are very close, so I’m still not sure we see a primary there.
Rep. Dan Caulkins (R-Decatur) and Rep. Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville) are still drawn together in the new 107th, but Caulkins has indicated he plans to move into the new 88th, which runs from the north and west sides of Decatur north to almost Bloomington.
Sen. Jason Plummer (R-Edwardsville) and Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) remain drawn into the new 55th District, though Bailey, as you know, is running for Governor.
Here’s the House map. Here’s the Senate map.
