‘Brutal’ battle predicted in Legislature over new district

By Anjeanette Damon

Thursday, Nov. 18, 2010 | 2:01 a.m.

Think the biggest and ugliest battle in the state Legislature next year will be over whether to raise taxes?

Well, it may turn out money’s nothing when compared with who gets political control of the state for the next 10 years and the personal ambitions of a gaggle of term-limited lawmakers with their eyes set on higher office.

Reapportionment — the decennial legislative act of redrawing congressional and state district lines according to population changes — has been described by one state lawmaker as the most brutally political act the Legislature undertakes.

And forces are brewing that could make the drawing of Nevada’s expected 4th Congressional District — and with that redrawing the existing three districts — a deadline-busting standoff among some of the state’s most powerful interests.

“It’s going to be brutal,” Democratic political consultant Billy Vassiliadis said.

As Nevada readies to hear official confirmation Dec. 31 that it will receive another congressional seat, consider:

• Several of the Legislature’s top leaders, even though they haven’t confirmed the speculation, are said to be considering a congressional run in 2012. They are incoming Assembly Speaker John Oceguera, D-Las Vegas; Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford, D-North Las Vegas; and Assistant Senate Minority Leader Barbara Cegavske, R-Las Vegas. That doesn’t even take into account lower-ranking lawmakers facing a term-limit ouster from the Legislature, as well as a couple of dozen outside politicians who also have designs on a seat.

• The congressional incumbents will all be fighting to preserve the most valuable elements of their districts: Republican Rep.-elect Joe Heck will want to expand his GOP base in Nevada’s split 3rd Congressional District. Rep. Shelley Berkley will want to preserve her solid Democratic base in the 1st Congressional District, and Republican Rep. Dean Heller will be working to stave off efforts to fill his district with more Democrats.

• And don’t forget the outside forces at play. The recently awakened Tea Party will be intent on ensuring one of its own — most likely former Senate candidate Sharron Angle — gets into office and will want to preserve a friendly district for her should Heller run for the Senate.

Hispanics, who played a starring role in getting Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid re-elected, will want to guarantee districts with fair representation.

National political committees, too, will have a vested interest in how the lines are drawn to benefit them.

“You get the RNC and the DNC involved, they come in with their high-powered folks who, at the end of the day, couldn’t care less about what the state wants,” Senate Minority Leader Mike McGinness, R-Fallon, said.

The biggest problem may be that the decision won’t be made in a vacuum. The 4th Congressional District will probably become entangled in endgame negotiations over closing the budget and, more importantly, redrawing state legislative lines.

Ten years ago, Republican lawmakers caved on their demand to add more seats to the Legislature to preserve Northern and rural representation in favor of creating the Republican-leaning 3rd Congressional District.

With term limits emptying the Legislature of those powerful northern Republicans in the next two years, they will be even more intent next year on adding state seats.

“They are all going to run into that buzz saw of expanding the Legislature,” Vassiliadis said. “That potentially is going to be the biggest issue.”

On the other hand, the fact that the Legislature will be dealing with a raft of serious issues, not the least of which is keeping the state from collapsing into its own budget hole, could mean lawmakers dispense with congressional reapportionment in a swift and evenhanded manner.

The political forces may also hold blatant gerrymandering at bay. Although Democrats have control of the Legislature, they don’t have enough votes to override a veto by the incoming Republican governor.

“The dirty little secret here is that both Democrats and Republicans benefit from a two and two map,” Republican operative Ryan Erwin said. “But does anybody actually admit that in this big game of chess?”