Stockton was the poster child for gerrymandered political districts. State politicians really did a number on us, creating such an illogical concatenation of strange regional bedfellows and far-flung boundaries that our political power plunged.
Then voters took the power out of politicians’ hands and gave it to an independent Citizens Redistricting Comission. The Commission drew pretty rational districts – districts in which Stockton’s population domininates and elected representatives will have to dance to our tune.
Then — cue the musical sting — nefarious Republicans lashed back. Apalled that voters elect Democrats, they created Prop. 40, a measure to undo California’s new state Senate districts. Then they asked the courts to suspend the districts pending the outcome of the November election.
Instead — cue that “wah-wah-wah-wahhh” horn sound — the courts unexpectedly ruled that the districts will stand as they are until the election. The bomb state Republicans planned to throw into impartial redistricting blew up in their face. And this week they announced they are surrending the campaign for Prop. 40.
Redistricting was a huge victory for Stockton. These developments ensure that victory stands.
