• 45°
franklin county times

Redistricting plan splits Lauderdale

By By Sid Salter
June 6, 2001
It's Splitsville, baby! Can you dig it? If you live in Hinds, Lauderdale, Leake or Madison counties, get ready to split. The knives are out in the Mississippi Legislature and congressional district continuity in your counties is the main course.
Three plans to reconfigure Mississippi's present five congressional districts into four after the state lost a district following the 2000 Census all split Hinds, Leake and Madison counties. Those splits are contemplated by conservatives and liberals alike and by political partisans of every stripe.
The so-called "Community Coalition Plan" which is code for some of the leadership of the Mississippi Legislature, the state's Democratic Party leadership and the political backers of current Democratic Fourth District Congressman Ronnie Shows throws regional continuity out the window in such a fashion as to make the splitting of counties a minor offense.
Split
Nine counties Attala, Hinds, Jones, Lauderdale, Leake, Madison, Scott, Tate and Yalobusha would be split under the "CCP" scheme. The plan creates a new "Third District" that stretches from Wilkinson County to Monroe County that gives the district about a 10 percent increase in black voting age population at 36.55 percent.
At the same time, the plan carves a new moon-shaped "First District" that links DeSoto County with Rankin County, and boasts a black voting age population of 17.50 percent.
The plan would create a new "Fourth District" to replace the old Fifth District that would link Lauderdale County with the three Gulf Coast counties and extreme Southeast Mississippi counties with some of the most sparse populations in the state. The new plan would give the new "Fourth" a black voting age population of 20.16 percent.
And the plan serves up a cozy new "Second District" for current Second District Congressman Bennie Thompson that give him a 59.45 percent black voting age population. The district runs from Adams County to Coahoma County, swelling back from the Mississippi River across the Delta maintaining in shape and composition the only recognizable shape and form from the five districts created after the 1990 Census.
Optional plans
Two optional plans are being circulated  one that maintains regional continuity but lowers the black voting age population by one percent in the "Second District."
The second option from the "Community Coalition Plan" is one that would be as beneficial politically to current Republican Third District Congressman Chip Pickering as the "CCP" plan is to Shows. That plan is the brainchild of Republican Party operatives and Pickering supporters.
Is there any moral high ground in legislative redistricting? Not likely. This exercise isn't about the public good. This is about politics and the division of the political pie.
Some of the leadership of the Mississippi Legislature are quietly leaning toward the "Community Coalition Plan"  one that promotes the political interests of their former colleague Shows in particular and the Democratic Party in general.
Historically, the old Third District was Mississippi's bedrock conservative district regardless the party label of the congressman. Think Sonny Montgomery. Under this plan, Montgomery's hometown people in Meridian would likely be calling their new congressman incumbent Fifth District Congressman Gene Taylor in Bay St. Louis.
Good politics for Mississippi Democrats? Absolutely.
Good government? Not likely.
Sid Salter is Perspective Editor/Columnist for The Clarion-Ledger in Jackson. Contact him at (601) 961-7084, P.O. Box 40, Jackson, MS 39205, or e-mail ssalter@jackson.gannett.com.

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Veteran Spotlight – Mousey Brown

News

Russellville First Baptist Church receives historical marker

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Meeting a higher standard – Russellville High School JROTC

News

RCS BOE announces new superintendent  

News

Miss Dream Girl Pageant names winners

Franklin County

First Metro Bank hosts FAME Girls’ Ranch donation drive

News

PCHS holds annual Shelby Grissom Memorial Fashion Show

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: VFW Post 5184 – ‘No One Does More For Veterans’

Features

Supporting students’ futures

Features

Red Bay Garden Club discusses amaryllis planting

Franklin County

UA announces local students for fall 2023 President’s, Dean’s, graduation lists

News

School news

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Veteran Spotlight – Troy Oliver

Franklin County

Appropriations bill passes, allots more than $3 million for new Russellville library/multipurpose center 

Franklin County

Franklin County Cattlemen’s Association names Cattleman of the Year 

Franklin County

Franklin County votes: Unofficial March 5 primary election results 

Franklin County

Funding for new Russellville library, multipurpose community center expected this week

Features

Faces of Franklin County: BTCPA

News

GFWC Russellville Book Lovers Club sponsors downtown art crawl

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Veteran Spotlight – Cody Bragwell

Franklin County

42nd annual Miss RHS pageant names winners 

News

Miss RHS pageant takes place Friday

Franklin County

Political announcement: David Hester speaks about run for reelection as county commissioner

Franklin County

BTCPA auditions for final production of season take place March 3-4 

x