The redistricting maps released today pair two Republican congressmen in one new district and two Democratic congressmen in another.
Congressman Tom Latham of Ames and Congressman Steve King of Kiron would be forced to face-off against one another in 2012. King says he’s definitely going to seek reelection in 2012, but before commenting further he wants to wait to see how state legislators view the new maps.
“They will look at that from their perspective first and they have to have a few days to churn the information,” King says. “And if they were to come back and say that this bill doesn’t have a chance, then there won’t be any reason for me to evaluate what I might do, so I’m going to sit back for a little while and see what they might do.”
King was a state senator when the last redistricting plan was adopted a decade ago. He says it’s an “unusual coincidence” that two Republicans and two Democrats in Iowa’s five-member congressional delegation would be forced to run against their one another under this new plan.
“We will see what happens and I haven’t heard anything about the intentions of the legislature, but I do want to sit back and let them make that decision,” King says.
Congressman Latham issued a written statement, making it clear he, too, plans to seek reelection in 2012.
The plan also would pit Democratic Congressmen Bruce Braley of Waterloo and Dave Loebsack of Mount Vernon against one another. Neither has commented yet on the proposed map for a new first congressional district.