The State Supreme Court yesterday imposed a new congressional district map, wiping out the one that it had previously ruled as being gerrymandered in favor of Republicans. But House Majority Leader Dave Reed, who is running for Congress, said he will take a wait-and-see approach to see if he will continue to his run.
The new map not only redraws the district borders, it renumbers them. The 9th Congressiona District, currently controlled by Republican Bill Shuster, is radically changed. Part of it is in the newly-designated 15th district, with the other part in the new 13th district. The map puts Indiana County in the 15th District, which also includes Cambria, Clearfield, Armstrong, Jefferson, Clarion, Venango, Forest, Elk, Cameron, Centre, McKean and Warren counties.
Reed commented that being in a district that large would mean that little attention would be paid to Indiana County. The county would be on what he called “the fringe” of a 13-county district, which is currently represented by Glenn “GT” Thompson of Centre County, and that would mean that Indiana County may be underserved.
As far as his own campaign goes, Reed said that he is taking a “wait-and-see” approach as he anticipates more court action coming soon.
The State Democratic Party has praised the new maps, while Republicans have vowed to challenge it in Federal Court. A GOP consultant said it was a “straight Democratic gerrymander by a Democratic Supreme Court to help Democrats.” The court decision was 4-3 with four Democrats approving it, and one Democrat joining two Republican Justices opposed to it.
