My Testimony at the Redistricting Hearing Today

Thank you for allowing me to speak today. 

I want to remind everyone that the reason we have these redistricting hearings is to adhere to principles of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and 1981, we have to make sure that no groups will be disadvantaged because of the redistricting boundaries.

We must go back to basics and remember why there is government—it is for people and their issues and problems, and solving those problems. It is not for partisan battles.  

Somehow, over time, we have forgotten this. We have been so lucky with Rep. Jones, Sen Duncan, Rep. Heflin. Thank you for your service. But I worry about the future of political service. I want to urge those who are on the redistricting committee—please forget about partisan politics—think instead of the people that you have pledged to represent.

We have to remember that each community, both rural and urban has its own unique flavor, its own issues, and we must remain diligent in creating legislative districts that serve those differences. To put large urban areas at the center of a district, ignores the unique issues of the smaller rural communities. To snake boundaries like a river through counties with no rhyme or reason is not good representation.

I have learned as both a parent and as an educator, that when you have two spoiled children fighting over one toy, you take the toy away. Jeff Wentworth, a Republican Senator, in 2009, attempted to pass a bill which would take redistricting out of the hands of politicians and into the hands of a bipartisan committee. This bill did not pass by one vote. Thirteen other states have done this, thus freeing up lawmakers for more important work that serves their constituents. I do hope that a new version of this bill passes in Texas before we have to revisit this issue in 2020. We need to take the toy away.

I would like to see lines across the Panhandle drawn more like my District 84, sensible, compact and competitive. But I have to say that the huge amputation that runs through the center of town, which was drawn to both prevent the election of one candidate and facilitate the election of another is not the way that representation should be drawn. Everyone knows full well why this was done, but no one talks about it. It’s the elephant in the room that everyone chooses to ignore.

If you cannot put aside differences to serve the people you pledged to serve, then shame on you, but most of all, shame on all of us for continuing to tolerate it.