Iowa Senate Republican Leader Explains Rejection Of First Redistricting Plan

(Des Moines, IA)  —  The top Republican in the Iowa Senate is pushing back against Democrats who say the Republicans want to create congressional and legislative districts that favor Republicans.  Democrats started making the claims after all Republicans in the Senate voted against the first redistricting proposal. Senate Majority leader, Jack Whitver of Ankeny, says Iowa law is very specific about how districts need to be drawn within a certain compactness, a certain population deviation. Whitver says no plan can provide districts with an equal number of residents, but the first plan had some wide swings when comparing the population count in each legislative district. The non-partisan Legislative Services Agency will deliver the second redistricting plan on October 21st and lawmakers will meet on October 28th to vote on it.