Redistricting Debate Continues

The Kansas Senate is preparing to debate a

bill redrawing the districts of its members, an issue that has

caused a bitter dispute among majority Republicans.

Some GOP conservatives believe the bill is designed to protect

the Senate’s current Republican leaders by averting primary

challenges to some incumbents.

The measure on Tuesday’s agenda draws at least three

conservatives out of the districts of the moderate incumbents they

plan to challenge.

Supporters of the plan argue that they drew the lines where they

made sense, without considering where challengers lived. Backers of

the plan also say alternatives are designed to ensure that

conservative Republicans gain control of the Senate.

The Legislature is redrawing its districts to account for

changes in population over the past decade.