Colorado Dems Take Road Trip To Support Renegade Texans
Texas Democrats Boycotting Republican-Led Redistricting Plan
POSTED: 8:36 a.m. MDT August 13, 2003
UPDATED: 2:39 p.m. MDT August 13, 2003
DENVER -- Colorado Democrats want to show their support for their counterparts from Texas who are boycotting a Republican-led
redistricting plan.
Senate Minority Leader Joan Fitz-Gerald, D-Golden, said she and
three other state senators would drive seven hours to Albuquerque, N.M.,
Wednesday to meet with the 11 politicians who fled their state to
stop the plan from being approved.
She said she was loading up her Dodge Caravan with Colorado beer and peaches to offer as gifts.
"A, it promotes Colorado and B, I have a feeling after being
there that long, they will have a mighty thirst," Fitz-Gerald
said.
Joining her will be Sens. Ron Tupa of Boulder, Bob Hagedorn of
Aurora and Ken Gordon of Denver.
Their plan is to meet with Texas and New Mexico legislators to discuss the issue of Republican redistricting.
Fitz-Gerald said they want to tell the Texans about how Colorado Republicans were able to pass a
favorable redistricting plan in the final three days of the
legislative session last May. The plan strengthens two GOP areas, giving Republicans a 5-2
edge in the state's congressional districts.
"This Republican plan is national, and we need to remember that
we're trying to preserve the unaffiliateds' power, their vote, by
not locking in districts that are predetermined before an
election," she said.
"The Texas Democrats are fighting a naked act of tyranny and we are going down to New Mexico to show them moral support," said Gordon.
The Colorado Democrats planned to hold a press conference with
the Texans on Thursday and return later that day.
Rep. Rob Fairbank, R-Littleton, criticized the Democrats for supporting the renegade politicians.
"You've got 11 Texas Democrats who have abdicated their
constitutional duties, and we have four Democrats who want to help
them out?" he asked. "I don't understand how this is of interest
to the people of Colorado, or to their constituents."
Fairbank did see one potential benefit to the trip.
"We're not letting them back in, right?" he said with a laugh.
Then he caught himself. "Oh, we'll let Bob back in," he said,
referring to Hagedorn, who often sides with Republicans.
Previous Stories:
- May 14, 2003: Salazar Asks Supreme Court To Block Redistricting
- May 8, 2003: State Republicans Vote To Redraw 7th District
Copyright 2003 by TheDenverChannel.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.







