Jesse Jackson Jr. won't back new Illinois congressional map

[The Northerner]

(09-22) 19:32 PDT Chicago (AP) -- U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. said on Thursday that he and two other Democratic congressmen from Illinois won't help defend the state's new congressional voting districts, which he suggested fellow Democrats drew to help politicians instead of minority voters.

"For some, partisan advantage may be more important than fighting against discrimination. But not for us," Jackson said in a statement that he said was also on behalf of fellow Chicago Democrats Danny Davis and Bobby Rush.

The new congressional districts were drawn by Democratic leaders and approved by the state Legislature, which is controlled by Democrats. Because of slowing population growth, Illinois now will have 18 U.S. House seats instead of 19. The new map largely protects Democratic incumbents while creating districts that will put Republican candidates on the defensive.

But Jackson said he, Davis and Rush worry that the new districts do not provide enough representation for Chicago's growing Latino population. The new congressional map, produced after the 2010 census to reflect changes in population, includes just one district where Latinos represent the majority, although Illinois' Hispanic population is 32.5 percent.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2011/09/22/national/a185245D62.DTL

[JVS]

1. "although Illinois' Hispanic population is 32.5 percent."

That's an error. Maybe within Chicago, but not for the whole state.

[yankeeswin]

2. This is why Democrats lose

You don't see Republicans pushing for fairness in drawing any district map, do you? The only Republican goal is to put Republicans in office. Jesse can have his say, and then go in and back the Democratic map.