The Illinois Democrats are annoyed at how much they have to do

The official proposal Friday from the Springfield Democrats — which divides Chicagoland into a 10-slice pizza — creates a district that resembles a snake that glides from Missouri to Indiana and another that swings from downstate Illinois up to the Wisconsin border- complicates the re-election of GOP Reps. Adam Kinzinger and Rodney Davis. But it also does not judge a congressman completely. And while the plan is spreading a bit on the Democratic rep. Lauren Underwood and the seat left by pulling the Democratic rep. Cheri Bustos back, none of the districts would be isolated if the party faces strong headwinds at the next election.

The Democratic Rep. Marie Newman, on the other hand, is in a potentially competitive position – and she was quick to express her dissatisfaction.

“It is clear that what has currently been proposed for Illinois’ 3rd Congressional District is not only retrogressive, but significantly reduces the diverse and progressive voices in Chicago’s Southwest Side and suburbs,” Newman said in a statement.

If 2022 is a strong midway for Republicans, they could possibly control up to a dozen seats under the map that flowed by Democrats in the state. And privately, some national agents were confused as to why Democrats, who control the Illinois governorship and both chambers of state law, had produced a map they see as flimsy.

“The card that was released is a massively missed opportunity that will have implications for control of the House,” said a Democratic strategist involved in Illinois policy. “And I can not imagine that Democrats in Illinois who have a reputation for being incredibly well-organized, disciplined, and ruthless would allow this to happen.”

The original proposal dissolved Kinzinger’s district of suburban Chicago to give some of his democratically friendly voters to Underwood, Bustos, and others — but placed his home in Newman’s new, somewhat swinging district. The open seat currently held by Bustos would become more democratic by occupying more of Rockford and Peoria and the city of Bloomington, but could still return to the GOP in a good Republican year.

It also unites East St. Louis, Springfield, Decatur and Champaign in a string bean seat downstate, a move that would make it very difficult for Davis to win re-election, but not impossible.

The official proposal creates some interesting bedmates. Newman and Kinzinger wanted to share a district that starts on the outskirts of Chicago and ends in the middle of the state. (Former Rep. Dan Lipinski has even suggested it he can seek a rematch with Newman in the Democratic primary if the lines remain the same.)

GOP representatives Darin LaHood and Mary Miller both live in the proposed new 16th District – although much of Miller’s old seat remains in the new 15th District, as does Davis’ home in Taylorville.

In a statement that released the card, Democrats hailed them as a strong initial attempt that may change after the public weighs in during hearings this week.

“This proposal is an excellent first draft that amplifies different voices and gives every person in our state an impression in government,” said Democratic State Representative Elizabeth Hernandez, chair of the State House Redistribution Committee.

The state Republicans were quick to breach the proposal like a shameless gerrymander.

“Call this new Illinois card the Nancy Pelosi Protection Plan,” said state GOP President Don Tracy. “It’s awful that fair representation, holding communities of interest together and transparency in the Illinois mapping process all had to take a back seat to the demands of national politics.”

But if Republicans found this card absurd, they would be even more offended by a new proposal.

Designed by Zach Koutsky, a longtime Democratic operator in Illinois, it appeared on state law online portal late Friday night.

The more aggressive card is even more distorted than first – though perhaps more effectively to provide seats for the Democrats. It was drafted in consultation with National Democrats, according to a source familiar with its origins.

In this proposal, Bustos’ northwestern Illinois district extends across the state’s northern border, grabbing the town of Rockford and dipping into Lake County to retrieve some of the town of Waukegan. It also loops the democratically inclined cities down into two districts: a snaking from East St. Louis to Springfield to Decatur and another stretching from Peoria to Bloomington to Champaign.

That would leave only two deep red seats for the state’s current Republican members. Democrats could conceivably take 15 of the 17 districts at the next election under this map.

State lawmakers are expected to vote on a congressional card under the tail end of a veto session starting Tuesday and ending Oct. 28. Lawmakers have said they will take into account comments from public hearings and card proposals that Koutsky, ie. submitted electronically via the portal. But the decision-making process will be done behind closed doors before the legislative vote.

“I have worked with Democrats across the state to bring this together,” Koutsky said in an interview with POLITICO. He declined to say which democratic groups were involved, but said he hoped it would be seriously considered by the state legislature.

“The submission I offered presents more competitive seats than examples I’ve seen before.”

Shia Kapos reported from Chicago.