Latham undecided about next move in the face of re-districting

Three public hearings will be held this week to give Iowans a chance to comment on the new plan that redraws the lines for Iowa’s Congressional and Legislative districts. Tonight’s public hearing begins at seven in Sioux City, which has been in Tom Latham’s congressional district. Latham, who’s a republican from Alexander, may have to move if he doesn’t want to face-off against another republican Congressman in 2002. He says he hasn’t had a chance to really study the issue, so he’s keeping all his options open.The plan throws republican Congressman Jim Leach and Jim Nussle in the same district. Nussle has suggested he might move into the new district in which Latham now lives. Latham says it’d be a shame to lose the seniority he and the other republican congressman have. For example, Nussle’s now the chairman of the House Budget Committee. Latham says he wants to visit with Nussle and Leach about their plans.Latham might move west, to be able to represent the new fifth district which encompasses the western third of the state. Or Latham says he might run for the U-S Senate in 2002. The second public hearing on the reapportionment plan will be held tomorrow in Iowa City, with sites in Mason City, Dubuque, Spencer, Waterloo, Council Bluffs, Bettendorf and Ottumwa joining via the Iowa Communications Network. The final public hearing’s on Thursday night in Des Moines.