Map Day 7: No Screaming

Map Day 7: No Screaming

Get to know it, learn to love it. Mike Glover:

Key legislative leaders from both parties said Tuesday that they were leaning toward approval of the first plan to redraw Iowa's congressional and legislative districts.

House Speaker Kraig Paulsen, R-Hiawatha, and Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, D-Des Moines, told The Associated Press that the map put together by nonpartisan legislative staffers hasn't garnered strong opposition from lawmakers.

Paulsen also said that since the maps were unveiled last week, there has been no organized opposition, and McCarthy said he hasn't heard from any Democrats strongly opposed to the plan.

While neither Paulsen nor McCarthy announced a final decision, their support gives the proposed map a giant boost.

Second public hearing, in Bettendorf, was extremely low key:

Only about 30 people attended a meeting Tuesday night to discuss Iowa's redistricting plan, and some who did concluded the low turnout was a sign the proposed maps are relatively popular.

"Look around the room," Art Heyderman said. "They're not here. They're not angry. Happy people stay home."

Indeed, the biggest complaint anyone could muster was that the St. Ambrose campus is split between legislative districts. Not exactly a deal-breaker.

Another sign of acceptance: At semi-official house organ TheIowaRepublican, Craig Robinson does serious number crunching of party reg in the new districts. Doesn't share the raw data, but a lot of interesting examples for any political numbers geek, which if you're reading me, you are.