Doolittle has always opposed fair redistricting.
In 1980 he made a deal with Willie Brown et al to get a district drawn for himself that would elect him to the State Senate. The deal with the dems resulted in fewer Republicans in the State Senate and a decade where the GOP lost on every single issue that went to the senate.
In 1991, Doolittle tried to make a deal again that would guarantee him a cozy safe district but the state GOP said they would endorse the opponent of any Republican who went against the party on redistricting - he backed off. The GOP plan that he had opposed got us 3 new GOP congressman from California.
Now he's opposing the party again. He can't convince me that he has any good purpose. He just likes to have easy easy elections for himself.
In 1980 he made a deal with Willie Brown et al to get a district drawn for himself that would elect him to the State Senate. The deal with the dems resulted in fewer Republicans in the State Senate and a decade where the GOP lost on every single issue that went to the senate.
Is this part of the 'smear Doolittle' to support Prop 77 campaign?
Interesting story, but apparently not supported by facts. He was only first elected to the Senate in 1980, and the Democrats redistricting effort, a year later, targeted his removal. Safe seat? It seems like everything but!
Dark-Horse Winner in 1980 Faces New Test
Los Angeles Times, Sep 29, 1982SACRAMENTO--Two years ago, an unknown conservative young Republican lawyer beat the venerable Democratic dean of the state Senate.
Now, Sen. John Doolittle (R-Citrus Heights), in political hot water because of reapportionment, is seriously challenged by veteran Assemblyman Leroy F. Greene (D-Sacramento).
Doolittle scored a major upset in 1980 by defeating Sen. Albert S. Rodda (D-Sacramento), who was supposed to be unbeatable, with a lot of money furnished by gunowner groups headed by Sen. H. L. Richardson (R-Arcadia).
Majority Senate Democrats got even by forcing Doolittle to run in two years instead of four under the 1981 upper house reapportionment plan.
They also sweetened the district by including more Democratic strongholds, and Greene, who has good local name recognition because he has represented Sacramento in the Assembly since 1963, was handpicked as the candidate.
The 6th Senate District now has a one-sided 57.9% Democratic to 30.3% GOP registration, which means that Greene should win.
(snip)
The Senate
Los Angeles Times, Nov 4, 1982(snip of election results)
Freshman conservative Republican John Doolittle of Citrus Heights never had a chance against Leroy Green (D) of Sacramento, the 20 year dean of the Assembly, after the Legislature's Democratic majoriy reapportioned Doolittle's upper house district in 1981 and forced him to run two years early in another heavily Democratic district. Doolittle still has two years to serve from his old district, however.