Ratliff Sides with Democrats on Redistricting (The-Terrific-Texan-Special-Session)

Austin American Statesman ^ | July 14, 2003 | Ken Herman and Laylan Copelin

[Pubbie]

Republican ally gives Democrats enough votes to keep any map from Senate floor

By Ken Herman and Laylan Copelin

AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF

Monday, July 14, 2003

Texas Republicans' effort to draw new congressional districts took a direct, potentially fatal hit on Monday from one of their own.

Sen. Bill Ratliff, R-Mt. Pleasant, announced he has signed on with 10 Democrats who have said they will vote to keep any redistricting map from the Senate floor.

It takes 21 votes in the 31-member Senate to bring any legislation to the floor for action. Eleven senators can block any action.

Ratliff, who opposes the redistricting effort and does not like the way a House-approved version splits his constituents, said he has told Republican Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst that he is siding with the Democrats in their "unalterable opposition to any motion to bring a congressional redistricting bill to the Senate floor."

Dewhurst, facing the prospect of the redistricting bill dying in his chamber, on Monday said he would consider skirting the Senate tradition—which dates back to the 1950s and is considered sacred by some—of requiring a two-thirds vote to bring a map to the floor.

The GOP holds a 19-12 edge in the Senate, guaranteeing it would prevail on any measure that gets to the floor.

There are several ways to get around the two-thirds tradition. All could be accomplished at Dewhurst's say-so.

"I think that at this point in the process, where the House has already passed a map and we've already gone in and taken testimony throughout the state, that if that were to happen I'd have to consider all of our options," Dewhurst said of the possibility of not getting the 21 votes needed for floor action on redistricting.

Dewhurst spent time behind closed doors on Monday with Ratliff, who said any move to slalom around the two-thirds provision would be "the most serious mistake (Dewhurst) could make."

Ratliff also said the redistricting process is tearing at the legislature's bipartisan tradition.

"I will not be a part of the destruction of that spirit for the sake of a theoretical marginal partisan gain in the Texas congressional delegation," he said.

Dewhurst said he went into the special session with assurances from 21 senators that they would support "a good and fair map."

Republicans, who hold statewide offices and majorities in the House and Senate, have only 15 of the 32 U.S. House seats.

"I think we're fairly down in the process," Dewhurst said when asked about skirting the two-thirds rule. "The House has passed a bill. We've taken extremely laborious and careful testimony from the public around the state of Texas. We've been working on drawing a map and I think that if we find that some of our members have changed their minds I think it's incumbent that we look at all of our options."

The only two Democrats who did not sign the letter of "unalterable opposition" to consideration of a redistricting plan were Sens. Ken Armbrister, D-Victoria, and Frank Madla, D-San Antonio.

Sen. Gonzalo Barrientos, D-Austin, said, "I feel secure at this point that there will be 11 — at least."

[ACAC]

I remember a quote where Ratliff said he was only 51% Republican. I think that is a little high. He voted with Democrat Speaker Laney against the Republican state legislative map. Dewhurst, Cornyn, and another Republican who I can't remember voted for it and it passed the LRB 3-2.

[lonestar]

It's hard not to see this as his simply holding out his hand for the right amount of greasing "

IMO Ratliff is the Jim Jeffords of Texas.

[deport]

Carole Rylander, Comptoller was the other Republican who voted to pass the plan...

[BooBoo1000]

I am sick and tired of these "SOB's" being Republicans until we need their support, then they stick us in the back. Ie Snow of Vermont.... They should be shot.

[Holden Magroin]

Can Ratliff be defeated in a primary? Is his vote needed in order to pass the redistricting plan?

[Torie]

Cornyn and Perry both carried the Ratliff district by 63%. He probably has other plans for the next election.

[deport]

He one won his race last time with some 68% of the vote.... He was first elected to the State Senate in 1988. It sounds like he's got the backing of his constituents....

I don't know about a primary challenger.... Maybe someone from the area could speak to it.

[deport]

If it was presented to the floor of the Senate it only needs a majority vote to pass.... There are 19 R and 12 D, so with him voting with the Ds it would still pass.

[Torie]

What odds do you place on Dewhurst abandoning the two thirds vote tradition? If he does, I suspect this will unleash the Dems elsewhere. Politics is certainly getting to be a winner take all game, with no holds barred. Self restraint is simply out the window. The chairman of the Dem party in California stated today that if Davis is recalled, and a Pubbie replaces him, that he will instantly move to get the Pubbie recalled. Maybe California will enter into a state of continuous recall campaigns.

[anymouse]

Looks like some Central Texas FReepers need to remind State Sen. RAT-lift that he won't be invited back to the dance if he spits in the punchbowl.

[writmeister]

Ratliff became Lt. Governor on a 16-15 vote in the Texas Senate. He had the votes of 15 Rats and 1 GOP (himself). Then, he spent the session being the Rats' b**ch.

After this double-cross, he planned to run for Lt. Governor outright, but learned he had no GOP support and withdrew from that race. Unfortunately, he was reelected to the state senate.

On Legislative Redistricting Board, he voted with Rat Laney and against Dewhurst, Cornyn and Rylander.

[deport]

He probably has other plans for the next election.

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My guess is he's pretty safe, JMO. I really don't know but his argument is he's trying to keep the area from being dominated by a Congressman having the Dallas area/population backing. His is a rural area and that plays well to them. I haven't heard what the Senate plan would be like but apparently he felt the House plan gave too much strength to the Dallas area. Or at least early on he mentioned that... Who knows.

[Torie]

Some proposed CD district with a bunch of suburban Dallas goes all the way to Texarkana? That is hardly necessary. Just a dollop of exurban Dallas plus the addition of Tyler (now per an erose extrusion in Hall's district) will tip the district away from Sandlin. It would hardly be a Dallas dominated district. Do you know one way or the other? Maybe he means the Turner district, which his district isn't in.

[deport]

What odds do you place on Dewhurst abandoning the two thirds vote tradition?

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It's tradition that has only been in place since the 1950s... 50 years or so. I really don't have any inside info to the dealings that are ongoing, so anything I'd guess would be pure speculation....

My guess is if he does go for broke it may be with the House plan since it's already passed the House and thus a Conference Committee wouldn't be needed to resolve the differences.... that would also eliminate the option for the rats to run in the House again when an approval vote would be needed over there.... But I guess a few of the Senators could take off and the Senate would be without a quorum...

Politics and sausage.... Round up your cattle, pen up the horses and keep your wife and daughters in the house, the Texas Legislature is in session.....

[Torie]

The state senate needs two thirds for a quorum as well as the state house?

[deport]

Do you know one way or the other?

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No I don't and I've not seen and real good maps showing what they proposed. Turner was one of the Districts in East Texas along with Lampson that got chopped up and basically swallowed up by others I think. I know there was mention of both Lampson and Turner possibly being democrats forced out by the redistricting lines...

[deport]

The state senate needs two thirds for a quorum as well as the state house?

---

Yes, State Constitution.

Article 3 - LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT

Section 10 - QUORUM; ADJOURNMENTS FROM DAY TO DAY; COMPELLING ATTENDANCE

Two-thirds of each House shall constitute a quorum to do business, but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day, and compel the attendance of absent members, in such manner and under such penalties as each House may provide

[Torie]

Well, it is a short drive for Ratliff to get to Oklahoma.

[Gracey]

The Senate rats must have chosen him.

You got it right. The Senate Democrats DID choose him. The balance of power was not so wide in the Senate at that time. He's always sided with the Democrats. Don't know why he calls himself a Republican, for he typically votes with the left.

[Gracey]

There are 19 R and 12 D, so with him voting with the Ds it would still pass.

Yes...except for the traditional recognition of the 2/3 vote. In this case, if nothing else works, seems that Dewhurst will abandon the 2/3 vote. This is tooo important an issue to consider niceties and traditions above cold hard necessities to get our Republicans in the U.S. House.

IMO, Governor Perry never would have called a special session if he wasn't sure of the outcome. Think about it. In