Arizona: Redistricting Plan Pre-Cleared

Arizona: Redistricting Plan Pre-Cleared: Arizona’s Congressional redistricting plan has been pre-cleared by the Department of Justice.

In a letter dated today, Assistant Attorney General Thomas Perez wrote that the department has no objection under the Voting Rights Act to the proposed boundaries.

The plan was drawn up by the state’s Independent Redistricting Commission, a bipartisan group made up of two Republicans, two Democrats and a registered Independent named Colleen Mathis.

The plan was approved by Mathis and the Democrats, but state and national Republicans were angered. Gov. Jan Brewer (R) and the GOP-controlled state Senate removed Mathis from the commission, but they were overruled by the state Supreme Court.

A Maverick Maybe

John McCain stops short of a full Adams endorsement.

Monday, April 2, 2012 | 1:24 p.m.

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) "made it clear where his sympathies are in the closely watched" CD5 GOP primary between ex-Rep. Matt Salmon (R) and ex-AZ House Speaker Kirk Adams (R).  McCain: "I haven't formally endorsed, but I strongly support Kirk Adams. I think he has leadership experience, but I also feel that it's important that we have a next generation of Republican leaders in our state" (Nowicki, Arizona Republic, 3/31).