http://mycn2.com/politics/new-state-senate-map-creates-three-open-districts-gives-sen-stein-a-new-number

Publication Date: January 18, 2012

Author: Ryan Alessi

New state Senate map creates three open districts, moves Sen. Stein to a new district

01/18/2012 01:55 PM

The proposed state Senate district unveiled in the Senate’s state government committee puts two western Kentucky Democrats into the same district, creates three new open spots and forces Democratic Sen. Kathy Stein of Lexington into a newly-numbered district.

The measure with the map passed the state government committee along party lines, 7-4.

Under the new map, Sen. Dorsey Ridley, D-Henderson, and Sen. Jerry Rhoads, D-Madisonville, would be in the 6th District. The 4th District — which is what Ridley represented — is now the number of the Lexington district Stein lives in, replacing the 13th District.

Sen. Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown, said Ridley would represent the Lexington district for the next two years until it comes up again, but Stein would have to move to the new 13th district in northeast Kentucky in order to keep her seat this year.

That new 13th District now comprises Harrison, Robertson, Mason, Lewis, Nicholas, Fleming, Bath and Montgomery counties.

The 27th District represented by longtime Sen. Walter Blevins, D-Sandy Hook, got carved up into four districts in the plan, essentially leaving him without a district.

The new 27th District was moved to southern Kentucky in an open seat that covers Muhlenberg, Todd, Logan, Simpson and Allen counties and reaches up to include a sliver of southern Warren County — near if not including the precinct in Rockfield where Republican Rep. Jim DeCesare lives.

And the 15th District, formerly in southern Kentucky, is being vacated by retiring Republican Sen. Vernie McGaha. The new 15th District now would cover Bullitt and Nelson counties.

To download a copy of the new map, click here: New State Senate maps.jpg

To see the Fayette County state Senate districts up close: Fayette_Senate.jpg

To see the Jefferson County state Senate districts up close: Jefferson_Senate.jpg

To see the Northern Kentucky state Senate districts up close: Northern_Senate.jpg

About Ryan Alessi

Ryan Alessi joined cn|2 in May 2010 as senior managing editor and host of Pure Politics. He has covered politics for more than 10 years, including 7 years as a reporter for the Lexington Herald-Leader. Follow Ryan on Twitter @cn2Alessi. Ryan can be reached at 502-792-1135 or ryan.alessi@twcable.com.

Comments

  • Brenda Erickson wrote on January 18, 2012 10:32 PM :

    I think this is a trick by Republicans to keep people from voting or being represented by the people they elected. I would hope more thought is put into this before it becomes a fact.
    Thanks,
    Brenda Erickson

  • bronte17 wrote on January 19, 2012 07:24 PM :

    I agree with Brenda Erickson. The Republicans completely cut out Kathy Stein’s district and moved it hundreds of miles away and then they completely cut out Walter Blevins’ district.

    Two of the finest Democrats we have in Frankfort, but the Republicans retaliated in spite against these two good, hard-working people who made their communities better.

    The Republicans cut out an urban city district and dump it down into a far away remote area where Kathy Stein doesn’t know the people and they don’t know her. And she doesn’t live there, never has. So she doesn’t know anyone or any of the issues of the area.

    Then the Republicans mush up 2 Democratic districts in the far western side of the state near the Mississippi which, of course, means only 1 Senate seat is left there for just one of the duly-elected Democratic Senators.

    And, not finished yet… those same Republicans take that other mushed-up Mississippi River District 4 Democratic seat and they just throw it four hours away to land down on top of Lexington, KY. Do you think the people of Lexington know Dorsey Ripley, the KY State Senator from hundreds of miles away over there in Henderson County? Do you think Dorsey Ripley’s family and community want to see him have to drive 4 hours to get to his constituents?

    Do you think Dorsey Ripley even knows what is going on in Lexington, KY and what the people there need from their Senator? Don’t you think the Republicans went a little wild with throwing Dorsey over 4 hours away from his home district?

    Do you think the people of Lexington, KY deserve to have the Senator they voted for until such time as a new election?

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