The New Maps are Here! The New Maps are Here!

So, how about those new redistricting maps?

Artistically, I'm not thrilled. Sort of boxy. Not sure what the artisist's motivation is. And is anyone else troubled by how very close we came to a swastika there in the middle?

But politically, boy howdy. There's a lot going on.

Iowa's congressional delegation was thrown into March Map Madness brackets. Latham v. King. Loebsack v. Braley. Leonard Boswell's so lonesome he could cheer. Christie Vilsack is waiting in the wings, but who will she challenge?

Braley, clearly still in shock, tries to remain calm and carry on:

Washington, DC – Today, Congressman Bruce Braley (IA-01) released the following statement after the first redistricting maps came out:“This map is a first draft and the first step in a process that will determine new Congressional districts. We'll all have to wait and see how the process plays out. I'm honored to represent northeast Iowa in Congress, and I'm focused on the very important work we have in front of us: monitoring the conflict in Libya and working on passing a responsible, long term budget to provide stability and certainty to American families and businesses.”

“This map is a first draft and the first step in a process that will determine new Congressional districts. We'll all have to wait and see how the process plays out. I'm honored to represent northeast Iowa in Congress, and I'm focused on the very important work we have in front of us: monitoring the conflict in Libya and working on passing a responsible, long term budget to provide stability and certainty to American families and businesses.”

It's just a first draft. Could happen to anybody. Wait and see.

Latham says Iowans are lucky.

“Iowans are lucky to have what is widely regarded as one of the fairest redistricting processes in the country governing how the new congressional districts will be drawn. I know that the members of the Legislature will keep the best interests of the people of Iowa at heart as they move forward with the next steps of this redistricting process. I am honored to represent the good people of Iowa in the United States Congress and regardless of the specifics of the final map I will continue to work on behalf of the interest of all Iowans.”

But Congressman, do you feel lucky? Well, do ya?

But it's not just Congress. The Legislature was also hit with map mania. Our own Rod Boshart has the gist:

DES MOINES – State lawmakers' political futures arrived in a large brown manila envelopes today.More than half of the 50 seats in the Iowa Senate and nearly half of the 100 seats in the Iowa House are impacted by the new proposed legislative reapportionment map that was issued by the Legislative Services Agency.A total of 14 senators reside together in districts with more than one other incumbent in the newly configured Senate map, while another seven districts now have no incumbent, according to an analysis by the Senate Democratic caucus staff of the first proposed LSA redistricting map. Democrats currently hold a 26-24 majority in the Iowa Senate.In the House, where Republicans enjoy a 60-40 edge, the number of current representatives in districts with more than one incumbent totals 27, while another 14 districts have no current incumbents residing in those areas, according to a House Democratic staff analysis.There are three new Senate districts with incumbents of more than one party, three where GOP incumbents are paired together and one where Democratic incumbents are pared together.On the House side, there is one district with incumbents of more than one party, three where Democratic incumbents are paired together and nine where paired GOP incumbents reside in the same districts.

More than half of the 50 seats in the Iowa Senate and nearly half of the 100 seats in the Iowa House are impacted by the new proposed legislative reapportionment map that was issued by the Legislative Services Agency.

A total of 14 senators reside together in districts with more than one other incumbent in the newly configured Senate map, while another seven districts now have no incumbent, according to an analysis by the Senate Democratic caucus staff of the first proposed LSA redistricting map. Democrats currently hold a 26-24 majority in the Iowa Senate.

In the House, where Republicans enjoy a 60-40 edge, the number of current representatives in districts with more than one incumbent totals 27, while another 14 districts have no current incumbents residing in those areas, according to a House Democratic staff analysis.

There are three new Senate districts with incumbents of more than one party, three where GOP incumbents are paired together and one where Democratic incumbents are pared together.

On the House side, there is one district with incumbents of more than one party, three where Democratic incumbents are paired together and nine where paired GOP incumbents reside in the same districts.

In one of the highest-profile instances of incumbent-pairing, House Majority Leader Linda Upmeyer, Rep. Stew Iverson (a former Senate majority leader) and longtime Rep. Henry Rayhons are in one new House district. Cozy.

Iowa Democrats released a list of the map madness brackets:

Senate pairings:

Kibbie (D-Emmetsburg) versus Johnson (R-Ocheyedan)Boettger (R-Harlan) versus Seymour (R-Woodbine)Ward (R-West Des Moines) versus McCoy (D-Des Moines)Bacon (R-Maxwell) versus Dix (D-Waterloo)Bartz (R-Grafton) versus Wilhelm (D-Cresco)Hancock (D-Epworth) versus Bowan (D-Maquoketa)Hamerlinck (R-Dixon) versus Hahn (R-Muscatine)

Boettger (R-Harlan) versus Seymour (R-Woodbine)

Ward (R-West Des Moines) versus McCoy (D-Des Moines)

Bacon (R-Maxwell) versus Dix (D-Waterloo)

Bartz (R-Grafton) versus Wilhelm (D-Cresco)

Hancock (D-Epworth) versus Bowan (D-Maquoketa)

Hamerlinck (R-Dixon) versus Hahn (R-Muscatine)

House pairings.

Huseman (R-Aurelia) versus Chambers (R-Sheldon)Iverson (R-Clarion) versus Upmeyer (R-Garner) versus Rayhons (R-Garner)Shaw (R-Laurens) versus Tjepkes (R-Gowrie)Jeremy Taylor (R-Sioux City) versus Hall (D-Sioux City)Brandenburg (R-Council Bluffs) versus Hanusa (R-Council Bluffs)Anderson (R-Clarinda) versus Dolecheck (R-Mount Ayr)Sweeney (R-Alden) versus Pat Grassley(R-New Hartford)Wenthe (D-Hawkeye) versus Thomas (D-Elkader)Hein (R-Monticell) versus Moore (R-Zwingle)Mascher (D-Iowa City) versus Jacoby (D-Coralville)DeBoef (R-What Cheer) versus Klein (R-Keota)Van Englenhoven (R-Pella) versus Vander Linden (R-Oskaloosa)Swain (D-Bloomfield) versus Hanson (D-Fairfield)

Iverson (R-Clarion) versus Upmeyer (R-Garner) versus Rayhons (R-Garner)

Shaw (R-Laurens) versus Tjepkes (R-Gowrie)

Jeremy Taylor (R-Sioux City) versus Hall (D-Sioux City)

Brandenburg (R-Council Bluffs) versus Hanusa (R-Council Bluffs)

Anderson (R-Clarinda) versus Dolecheck (R-Mount Ayr)

Sweeney (R-Alden) versus Pat Grassley(R-New Hartford)

Wenthe (D-Hawkeye) versus Thomas (D-Elkader)

Hein (R-Monticell) versus Moore (R-Zwingle)

Mascher (D-Iowa City) versus Jacoby (D-Coralville)

DeBoef (R-What Cheer) versus Klein (R-Keota)

Van Englenhoven (R-Pella) versus Vander Linden (R-Oskaloosa)

Swain (D-Bloomfield) versus Hanson (D-Fairfield)

At first glance, I think these are good maps. They make sense geographically. (the first map is drawn to avoid too much city and county splitting) There's plenty of pain for both parties, which underscores its nonpartisan fairness.

I like the matchups. A Latham-King primary would be very, very entertaining in the sprawling 4th District. The district has an 818-mile perimeter, or roughly the distance from Cedar Rapids to Denver.

Probably the toughest spot is occupied by Loebsack, who can stay and face Braley or move to Iowa City and potentially face C. Vilsack running from her Mount Pleasant home base. Or maybe she takes on Boswell. But Leonard might be tougher to beat in a new district that looks sorta like the old, more rural one he once represented. Intrigue.

Update: Radio Iowa's O. Kay Henderson has Loebsack's statement. Sounds like he might need a real estate agent for a short southward move into the new 2nd District.

“In Iowa, we are fortunate to have a nonpartisan redistricting process that puts Iowans and Iowa's communities first, ahead of politics. For more than four years, I have been honored to represent much of southeastern Iowa – in Iowa's Second Congressional district. Understanding that the redistricting process is ongoing, as the map stands now, I would plan to continue to represent the southeastern district of Iowa that stretches from I-35 to Iowa City, the Quad Cities and to the southeastern most tip of Keokuk. I have been honored to represent these communities in the past and look forward to representing them in the future.”

The Cedar Rapids/Iowa City "corridor" would be split between two congressional districts, but that also means double the congressional clout. Braley's an effective congressman regarded as a rising talent, so Cedar Rapids wouldn't lose in that regard.

I like it, which means it's probably dead as a doornail.

There are a lot of state lawmakers thrown together, which probably means this thing doesn't have the support to pass. It will be a while before we get a sense of what the support and strategies look like. No one is offering much praise or condemnation at this hour.

The first map failed in 2001. Then we move to map 2, which will look a lot less neat geographically.

I'll probably update this post with new info/reax.