House Speaker Mike O'Neal (left, R-Hutchinson) and Minority Leader Paul Davis (D-Lawrence) during a committee meeting. (Photo by Stephen Koranda)A Kansas House Committee has approved a map that redraws districts for the Kansas Senate. Opponents of the new map say it was drawn to help conservative challengers defeat moderate members of the Senate. Representative Paul Davis, of Lawrence, is the top Democrat in the House. He opposes the new Senate map and thinks lawmakers should follow the long tradition of allowing each chamber to redraw its own map.
House leaders claim the map the Senate had drawn for itself had problems and protected moderate Republicans from challengers. House Speaker Mike O’Neal supported the map that passed out of the House committee.
The full House will now consider the redistricting plan.