Judges Redo Texas District, and Democrats May Gain
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: August 5, 2006
AUSTIN, Tex., Aug. 4 (AP) — A three-judge federal panel drew a Texas Congressional district map on Friday that gave new muscle to Hispanic voters in South Texas and solidified the partisan makeup of several others.
Representative Henry Bonilla, a Republican whose district the Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional, could face a tougher re-election battle, however, now that his district has more Hispanics who have overwhelmingly voted Democratic in the past.
The Supreme Court ordered the map — engineered by former Representative Tom DeLay, a Republican, and drawn by state Republican legislators — redrawn because the sprawling 23rd Congressional District had diluted Hispanic voting strength in violation of the Voting Rights Act....
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Representative Lloyd Doggett, a Democrat, will get a slightly more Democratic population in his 25th Congressional District because the court moved a largely liberal section of South Austin into his territory. Travis County, which includes Austin, remains split among three Congressional districts, as it was under the Republican redistricting map....
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Because the districts were redrawn after the primary elections, the seats are open now to anyone who wants to run. Candidates have until Aug. 25 to file for the race. A special election will be held alongside the Nov. 7 general election for Congressional seats in the affected districts....
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/05/us/05texas.html