Wisconsin legislative maps; Gov. Evers signs new maps into law
MADISON, Wis. - Wisconsin Democratic Gov. Tony Evers signed new legislative district maps into law on Monday, Feb. 19, that he proposed and that the Republicans who control the Legislature passed to avoid having the liberal-controlled state Supreme Court draw the lines.
The new maps will be in place for the November election.
Republicans have controlled the Wisconsin Legislature since 2011. They've decided how to spend tax money and write new state laws.
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"It's a new day, Wisconsin," Evers said of the new maps.
Gov. Tony Evers
Democrats tried unsuccessfully for more than a decade to overturn the Republican-drawn maps. But it wasn’t until control of the state Supreme Court flipped in August after the election of liberal Justice Janet Protasiewicz that Democrats found a winning formula. They filed a lawsuit the day after Protasiewicz joined the court.
In December, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled the current maps were unconstitutional. Republicans feared what maps the liberal-leaning court would choose, so the Republican-controlled Legislature passed the maps introduced by the governor.
"This is only the second time since the 1960s we’ve seen Republicans and Democrats be able to agree on maps," Marquette Law School's Lubar Center research fellow John Johnson said.
John Johnson
Johnson studies what these new maps mean for control of the state Legislature.
"In a true 50/50 year, I think the edge still goes towards Republicans under these maps, but it’s a greatly reduced edge compared to what they previously enjoyed," Johnson said.
Wisconsin State Senate
Republicans currently hold 64 Assembly seats to Democrats, who have 35. In the Senate, the GOP has a supermajority; Republicans have 22 to Democrats’ 10 and one vacancy.
Wisconsin State Assembly
Under Johnson’s projection, Republicans would have about 46 safe seats and Democrats 42. That’s not enough to get to the majority in the chamber, so that's where the seats in the middle come into play. They are the real battleground districts in the battleground state. Johnson says seven tilt Republican and four tilt Democrat.
"A set of seats that either party is going to be thinking: I bet we could win that with the right candidate, the right strategy, getting a little lucky," Johnson said.
READ: Gov. Evers' complete statement on signing of new legislative maps
Johnson's analysis finds under the new maps Democrats are likely to add one Assembly seat in the Racine and Kenosha area, and also another around Brookfield.
Wisconsin State Capitol
"The 13th District, which is quite safe Republican," Johnson said as he showed the old district lines.
He then showed the new lines favoring Democrats. "Now we have the 13th District here, which is a pretty solid Democratic lean."
Sheboygan would also see a likely Democratic pick-up.
"Sheboygan goes from two split Republican districts to one single Democratic district," Johnson said.
Republicans said they felt forced to agree to the governor's maps.
"Governor Evers signed the most Republican-leaning maps out of all the Democrat-gerrymandered maps being considered by the Wisconsin Supreme Court," said Assembly Speaker Robin Vos.
Sen. Van Wanggaard (R-Racine) said they had the choice of being "stabbed, shot, poisoned, or led to the guillotine."
In the fall, voters will decide who makes the cut in these new districts.
All 99 Assembly seats are up for grabs this fall, and half of the Senate seats.
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Johnson said he doesn’t think Senate Democrats can win the majority this year, but the Assembly could be close.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.