Proposed redistricting lines target Queens Democrats

An editorial by the New York Daily News discusses the Senate Republicans' redistricting proposal and how they have purposely targeted districts in Queens as a means to disrupt the Democratic county.

Queens has emerged as a key locale in the redistricting war between Republicans and Democrats in the state legislature.

 

Under the proposed lines released last week, four Queens lawmakers would be merged into two districts and a powerful Democrat would be gerrymandered out of his district.

 

Another Democrat saw his district oddly reconfigured to include more Republican-leaning neighborhoods.

 

“It’s clear that Senate Republicans are targeting Queens because it’s a Democratic county,” said state Sen. Michael Gianaris (D-Astoria). “This is the result of a process we have been criticizing for a year.”

 

A hearing on the proposed lines will take place next Tuesday at Queens Borough Hall. The legislature and Gov. Cuomo must then approve the changes.

Read the full article here.