Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Steve Israel told reporters Friday that Arizona voters should consider impeaching Gov. Jan Brewer after she engineered the impeachment of the state's independent redistricting commission chairman.
The redistricting committee's proposed map would have given Democrats an opportunity - if everything went their way - to win as many as five of the state's nine House districts in next year's elections. It also would have forced at least one primary pitting two Republican congressmen against each other. Republicans currently control five of the state's eight House seats.
The redistricting committee's proposed map would have given Democrats an opportunity - if everything went their way - to win as many as five of the state's nine House districts in next year's elections. It also would have forced at least one primary pitting two Republican congressmen against each other. Republicans currently control five of the state's eight House seats.
But with the map going back to the drawing board, Republicans anticipate a more favorable scenario.
"I think the people of Arizona should consider impeaching Jan Brewer for what she did," Israel said. "We will push every button. We will use every strategy. We will appeal to any fair court to redress this trampling of a fair and independent process."
Israel said the redistricting situation in Arizona especially bothered him, since much of his family lives there. At the briefing, he pointed to an editorial from the Arizona Republic that slammed Brewer's decision.
Israel also weighed in on a redistricting conflict in Ohio, where Republicans have been trying to pass a map that would give them an lopsided 12-4 advantage in the delegation. Democrats have announced a petition drive to overturn the current GOP proposal, and Republicans have failed to muster enough Democratic support to win a referendum-proof two-thirds majority. If the map is overturned, the status of the Congressional elections would be in flux.
"The Republicans have stepped all over themselves in Ohio and we fully support a referendum to give the people of Ohio input into the congressional lines," said Israel. "We will be meeting with members of the Ohio delegation today to talk about what that support means."
One Democrat who supports the GOP's map is Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio. He has been making robocalls to state legislators supporting the GOP proposal that preserves his Cleveland-based district but throws him into a likely primary with fellow Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio. When asked if there would be retribution for Kucinich's apparent treason, Israel paused, before saying of the oft-unpredictable Kucinich, that "Dennis is Dennis." As Israel surveyed the House landscape one year after the party's historic losses, he argued that redistricting as a whole would be a wash for both parties, where either side could gain a handful of seats. He pointed to maps in Illinois, where he forecasted Democrats could pick up between two and four seats, and California, where he said his party could net between three and five. North Carolina presents Democrats with the toughest challenges, after Republicans drew a map that could net them up to four seats. But Israel pointed to individual members' ability to survive tough races there over the last several cycles, arguing that would make them better prepared for a GOP onslaught. "I do not concede a district in North Carolina," Israel said. "They are battle tested, they are field ready, they know what to do. Yes, the hill may have gotten a little steeper, but they know how to make that climb." He also said that he expected Rep. Heath Shuler, D-N.C., the subject of recent retirement rumors, would be running for re-election. Israel also underscored that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee would support Democratic incumbents "in every instance, across the board," if they find themselves in primary fights with Democratic challengers - such as the challenge Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas faces against an up-and-coming state Rep. Joaquin Castro, in the state's proposed new 35th District. But former members looking to make a comeback won't be able to expect DCCC assistance in primaries. Nine former members of Congress are running again, including Nevada's Dina Titus, Florida'sAlan Grayson and New York's Dan Maffei. Titus announced on Thursday she would run in the 1st District instead of her old 3rd District - setting up a primary showdown with rising Hispanic hopeful, state Sen. Ruben Kihuen. Israel said the DCCC would remain "religiously agnostic" in those type of primary battles.
http://www.nationaljournal.com/blogs/hotlineoncall/2011/11/dccc-chair-calls-for-impeachment-of-arizona-governor-04
"I think the people of Arizona should consider impeaching Jan Brewer for what she did," Israel said. "We will push every button. We will use every strategy. We will appeal to any fair court to redress this trampling of a fair and independent process."
Israel said the redistricting situation in Arizona especially bothered him, since much of his family lives there. At the briefing, he pointed to an editorial from the Arizona Republic that slammed Brewer's decision.
Israel also weighed in on a redistricting conflict in Ohio, where Republicans have been trying to pass a map that would give them an lopsided 12-4 advantage in the delegation. Democrats have announced a petition drive to overturn the current GOP proposal, and Republicans have failed to muster enough Democratic support to win a referendum-proof two-thirds majority. If the map is overturned, the status of the Congressional elections would be in flux.
"The Republicans have stepped all over themselves in Ohio and we fully support a referendum to give the people of Ohio input into the congressional lines," said Israel. "We will be meeting with members of the Ohio delegation today to talk about what that support means."
One Democrat who supports the GOP's map is Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio. He has been making robocalls to state legislators supporting the GOP proposal that preserves his Cleveland-based district but throws him into a likely primary with fellow Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio. When asked if there would be retribution for Kucinich's apparent treason, Israel paused, before saying of the oft-unpredictable Kucinich, that "Dennis is Dennis." As Israel surveyed the House landscape one year after the party's historic losses, he argued that redistricting as a whole would be a wash for both parties, where either side could gain a handful of seats. He pointed to maps in Illinois, where he forecasted Democrats could pick up between two and four seats, and California, where he said his party could net between three and five. North Carolina presents Democrats with the toughest challenges, after Republicans drew a map that could net them up to four seats. But Israel pointed to individual members' ability to survive tough races there over the last several cycles, arguing that would make them better prepared for a GOP onslaught. "I do not concede a district in North Carolina," Israel said. "They are battle tested, they are field ready, they know what to do. Yes, the hill may have gotten a little steeper, but they know how to make that climb." He also said that he expected Rep. Heath Shuler, D-N.C., the subject of recent retirement rumors, would be running for re-election. Israel also underscored that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee would support Democratic incumbents "in every instance, across the board," if they find themselves in primary fights with Democratic challengers - such as the challenge Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas faces against an up-and-coming state Rep. Joaquin Castro, in the state's proposed new 35th District. But former members looking to make a comeback won't be able to expect DCCC assistance in primaries. Nine former members of Congress are running again, including Nevada's Dina Titus, Florida'sAlan Grayson and New York's Dan Maffei. Titus announced on Thursday she would run in the 1st District instead of her old 3rd District - setting up a primary showdown with rising Hispanic hopeful, state Sen. Ruben Kihuen. Israel said the DCCC would remain "religiously agnostic" in those type of primary battles.
http://www.nationaljournal.com/blogs/hotlineoncall/2011/11/dccc-chair-calls-for-impeachment-of-arizona-governor-04