Redistricting El Paso
One vote in congress or two?
There seems to be some confusion about how and who does the redistricting and whether it is a positive or negative effect on El Paso County and Fort Bliss. How can someone from San Antonio effectively represent us?
The Texas Legislature draws the districts of the Texas House, Senate, State Board of Education and Congressional districts, or at least tried to. Due to all the growth in Texas, redistricting is moving El Paso closer to the rest of our state. For the first time, the second congressional seat in El Paso that has been just a small fraction, will have more population than ever before, and, the ability to influence an election, of this second congressional seat, is very possible.
Because Texas has grown to just over 25 million people, we are going from 32 seats to 36, giving Texas four more votes in congress. Why do some city and county leaders oppose more representation for our local community in congress? Why would we only want one voice when the choir has grown larger?
El Paso has had one full congressional seat, District 16 and a partial seat, District 23, for many years. Congressman Reyes's (D), District 16 has had 95% of El Paso's current population, Congressman Conseco (R), District 23, currently has about 5%, which grows to about 13% of El Paso County population. Like the rest of the state as a whole, we are gaining more representation.
San Antonio has a large military presence as does El Paso with Fort Bliss. Wouldn’t it make sense to include someone into supporting our military as well, instead of them working against our interests? A point being missed is the fact that Congressman Conseco of District 23 currently represents 40% of San Antonio not all of it. Under all the proposed maps the representation drops to 24% and goes from representing 43,000 people in El Paso County to over 100,000. I think this forces that person to be very careful about not alienating their constituency and brings in Fort Bliss to be supported by another vote in Congress. It may be a district that extends over five hundred miles and over twenty counties, but the two population bases are a portion of San Antonio and the growing portion of El Paso, it is all sparsely populated in between. It is very possible that after the next census; El Paso would see even a bigger part of this second congressional seat.
No one seemed to complain when the map passed originally, putting so much of the lower valley and east El Paso County into another district, but politics being what they are, some tried to make it sound like sharing Fort Bliss was a bad thing and that Congressman Reyes should have been outraged. That’s ridiculous!
Whomever represents District 23, be that a Republican or Democrat, (it was a Democrat, and could be again), would be greatly mistaken if they ignored the expanding political clout in El Paso. I see as being more likely to have participation by District 23, a staff and new office being opened in El Paso County.
Many have forgotten that not too long ago, Fort Bliss was on the chopping block under the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process. It was resurrected by our Congressman, other elected officials, business groups and involved citizens all working together.
One vote for Fort Bliss and El Paso County’s needs in Washington, or two? I'll take two please.
P.S. Did you know Senator Rodriquez’s District as a State Senator now includes four other counties for the first time in history? Do you think he is being asked to support them or told to stay home in El Paso?
COMMITTEES:
Defense & Veterans Affairs
Legislation Passed
Rep. Pickett is the Chairman of the House Committee on Defense at Veterans' Affairs.
nine members, with jurisdiction over all matters pertaining to:
(1) the relations between the State of Texas and the federal
government involving defense, emergency preparedness, and veterans issues;
(2) the various branches of the military service of the United States;
(3) the realignment or closure of military bases;
(4) the defense of the state and nation, including terrorism response;
(5) emergency preparedness;
(6) veterans of military and related services; and
(7) the following state agencies: the Adjutant General’s Department,
the Texas Veterans Commission, the Veterans’ Land Board, the Texas Military
Preparedness Commission, the Division of Emergency Management, and the
Emergency Management Council.
with jurisdiction over all matters pertaining to:
(1) commercial motor vehicles, both bus and truck, and their control,
regulation, licensing, and operation;
(2) the Texas highway system, including all roads, bridges, and ferries
constituting a part of the system;
(3) the licensing of private passenger vehicles to operate on the roads
and highways of the state;
(4) the regulation and control of traffic on the public highways of the
State of Texas;
(5) railroads, street railway lines, interurban railway lines, steamship
companies, and express companies;
(6) airports, air traffi c, airlines, and other organizations engaged in
transportation by means of aerial fl ight;
(7) water transportation in the State of Texas, and the rivers, harbors,
and related facilities used in water transportation and the agencies of government
exercising supervision and control thereover;
(8) the regulation of metropolitan transit; and
(9) the following state agencies: the Texas Department of
Transportation and the Texas Transportation Commission.
(1) legislative districts, both house and senate, and any changes or
amendments;
(2) congressional districts, their creation, and any changes or
amendments;
(3) establishing districts for the election of judicial officers or of
governing bodies or representatives of political subdivisions or state agencies as
required by law; and
(4) preparations for the redistricting process.
