Governor Evers Rejects Republican Changes to Legislative Maps

Friday, January 26th, 2024 -- 10:01 AM

(Bob Hague, Wisconsin Radio Network) Governor Tony Evers has rejected Republican lawmakers changes to his legislative maps.

According to Bob Hague with the Wisconsin Radio Network, calling the Evers maps as originally drawn a “Democratic gerrymander,” Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos addressed a media press conference at the Capitol on Wednesday.

“What we’re actually doing is making miniscule changes to un-gerrymander the Evers maps. It’s nowhere near complete, but we tried to figure out a way to live within the spirit and to ensure that we had a bill Governor Evers could sign.”

The changes would have avoided Republican incumbents running against each other in redrawn districts. “So let’s just confirm, it (the Evers maps) was fair in January. But all of a sudden now, it might not be a fair map,” Vos said.

“I think the citizens of Wisconsin are smarter than this. And it’s your job in the media to help report on the obvious collusion that you see before your eyes, that is part of the Democrats effort to gerrymander Wisconsin.”

“The map in front of us was changed specifically to protect Republican incumbents,” Minority Leader Greta Neubauer said on the Assembly floor prior to a 63-35 partisan vote. “This is wrong. And it puts politicians career’s over the will of the people, GOP legislators. None of us should be using our power or authority to protect our own positions.”

During a stop in Wausau, Evers indicated that he’ll veto the tweaked maps.  “The only one that I’ll sign is my maps, and those are not my maps,” he told reporters. The state Supreme Court is prepared to redraw the maps if the governor and lawmakers can’t agree.

The Supreme Court will receive reports from map consultants February 1st. A total of seven maps have been submitted in a redistricting lawsuit which alleges the current maps drawn by Republican lawmakers are gerrymandered to give them a partisan advantage.

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