Reaction rolls in for Wisconsin’s proposed new legislative maps

The first thoughts about Wisconsin’s proposed, new legislative maps are what was expected.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court received seven sets of maps from lawmakers and advocates late last week.

The maps would replace the State Assembly and State Senate maps drawn in 2022. The court tossed those maps just before Christmas for being too friendly to Republicans.

Almost every new map would be more friendly to Democrats.

Gov. Tony Evers’ proposed maps would force more than 30 incumbent Republican lawmakers to run against each other in newly drawn districts.

Rep. Barb Dittrich, R-Oconomowoc, said the governor's map shows the decision to redraw the state’s political maps has nothing to do with fairness, and everything to do with politics.

“It is disappointing and disgusting to face this hypocritical, raw political power play on a day that should be about unity,” Dittrich said on social media on Monday. “If you are a person of prayer, I encourage you to pray for our state and its leaders as we are thrown into total chaos.”

The top Democrat in the Wisconsin Senate, Sen. Dianne Hesselbein, D-Middleton, said the maps from legislative Democrats are “fair, competitive, and constitutional.”

“An overwhelming number of Wisconsin voters have long expressed the need for fair maps that honor their voices. As parties named in this lawsuit, elected officials, and concerned Wisconsinites, we are confident that the maps selected by the Wisconsin Supreme Court will reinstate fairness in Wisconsin’s electoral system and once again put people in charge of their state government,” Hesselbein said in a statement.

The new liberal-majority Supreme Court ordered new maps after finding that “municipal islands” in the 2022 maps were unconstitutional.

The maps from Evers, legislative Democrats, UW-Milwaukee professors and the law firm that sued over the maps redraw every district in the state.

“Drawing maps that combine Kenosha with Milwaukee County is a great example of how the left is contorting the maps in order to gain seats. Communities of interest, compactness, and respect for municipal and county lines are thrown out the window,” Scott Manley with Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce said.

The proposed maps from legislative Republicans and the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty make fewer changes but do adjust districts in a way that would give Wisconsin Democrats a boost.

The Supreme Court will now review the maps and bring in outside experts to study the lines.

The court has set a March 15th deadline to have the new maps finalized if they are to be used in this year’s elections.