The second redistricting maps created by Iowa's Legislative Services Agency have a more-familiar look in terms of local districts for state-level seats but still split Dubuque County and the surrounding area between two congressional districts.
The maps were released this morning by the nonpartisan LSA. The agency's first maps were rejected along party lines by the Legislature on Oct. 5, with Republicans voting against and Democrats voting in favor.
A special session to review and vote on the second set of maps is set for Thursday, Oct. 28.
The first proposed congressional maps geographically flipped Iowa's First and Second Congressional districts. The new maps retain some of that geographic flip, but leave more similar district makeups by county to those in place today.
Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson currently represents the First Congressional District while living in Linn County.
In the new maps, Linn County would be shifted to the Second Congressional District. That district would cover most of the northeast quarter of the state, including Clayton, Delaware and Dubuque counties — areas that Hinson represents now.
The newly proposed First District would cover most of the southeast quarter of the state — areas currently represented by Republican U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks in the current Second District.
The First District would include Jackson and Jones counties -- but no longer include Wapello County, where Miller-Meeks lives. That county is part of the proposed Third Congressional District. There is no incumbent now living in the proposed First District.
Iowa Rep. Lee Hein, R-Monticello, said he thought the new congressional map looked better than the first one proposed.
"I think they make more sense the way they’re drawn this time than the way they were last -- more geographically balanced," he said.Â
Iowa Rep. Anne Osmundson, R-Volga, also said she was more happy with the second map.
Iowa Rep. Chuck Isenhart, D-Dubuque, said Republicans' approval is what is needed, given their control of the Legislature and governor's office.
"If legal and constitutional, whatever plan pleases the Republicans is what other Iowans and I will work with," he said.
Under the new plan, each of Iowa's four congressional districts would have favored Republican Donald Trump in the 2020 election over Democrat Joe Biden. That's a switch from the first set of maps that created two districts with strong Republican majorities, one that favored Democrats and one that was nearly equal. Trump won Iowa with 53.1% of the vote.
The latest map includes 20 counties in District 1, 22 in District 2, 21 in District 3 and 36 in District 4. Each would be close to the ideal population for congressional districts of 797,592.
State Senate
A state Senate district containing the city of Dubuque — currently represented by Democratic Sen. Pam Jochum — remains in the new map but expands north to include Sageville and stretches to the county's border.
Currently, all of rural Dubuque County, all of Jackson County and a portion of Jones County are in one Senate district, represented by Carrie Koelker, R-Dyersville. That district mostly remains intact in the new map but covers all of Jones and less of Jackson.
"It's the same three counties at least," Koelker said. "This is where I’ve got to listen to my constituents and do my research."
An exception is a square of southwest Dubuque County — including most of Cascade — that would join a district covering Delaware and Buchanan counties, northeast Black Hawk County and most of Fayette County. Sen. Dan Zumbach, R-Ryan, who represents all of Delaware County now, would remain in that district, but it also would include Sen. Craig Johnson, R-Independence.
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A section of northern Dubuque County, including Holy Cross, would join a district covering Clayton, Allamakee, Winneshiek and Howard counties, plus northern Fayette County. Iowa Sen. Michael Klimesh, R-Spillville, would remain in that proposed district.
Maquoketa and a nearby portion of Jackson County would join a district covering Clinton County and northern Scott County — currently represented by Chris Cournoyer, R-LeClaire.
In the latest map, 20 senators are paired in the same district, down from 24 in the first map.Â
State House
The two Iowa House of Representatives districts covering the city of Dubuque would look somewhat different should the newest House district map be approved.Â
In it, most of the western part of Dubuque would join the northernmost area of the city and rural communities due north to the Dubuque County line. More of the downtown and the Central Avenue corridor north to 32nd Street would be in the other district along with the Key West area.
Democratic Reps. Chuck Isenhart and Lindsay James still would be in different districts.
"I am much more concerned with maintaining a fair process than what exactly the map looks like in my district," James said today. "I get excited about representing new constituents."
Most of rural Dubuque County would be in one district — areas mostly represented now by Iowa Rep. Shannon Lundgren, R-Peosta.
"My district had changed a lot (in the first map), keeping just Epworth and Peosta, then going down to Sabula," Lundgren said. "So, I'm back to Dubuque County, which is where my heart is. Luckily, I didn’t get put up against a Republican colleague where we’d have to have a primary."
The area around Holy Cross would be covered by a northern district also covering Clayton and Allamakee counties. Osmundson represents most of Clayton and Allamakee now. The same district also would gain the city of Elkader, which currently is in a separate district.
"I'm happy with my (proposed) district," Osmundson said.
Jackson County and most of Jones County currently are covered by the same district and represented by Steve Bradley, R-Cascade. Under the proposed map, most of Jackson County and all of Jones County would be in one district, putting Hein and Bradley togther.
Bradley said he would speak with neighboring lawmakers in the coming days.
A total of 38 House incumbents were drawn into the same districts in the latest map -- the same number as the first one.Â
Under the proposed map, an open district then would cover much of Hein's current district, including all of Delaware County and the southwest corner of Dubuque County, including the portion of Cascade there.
Southwest Jackson County, including Maquoketa, would be covered by a more southern district including most of Clinton County and northern Scott County.
If the Legislature rejects the second maps, the LSA would have another 35 days to create a third set of maps. Unlike the first two iterations, the third set of maps would be open to amendment with majority Republicans leading that process. The Iowa Supreme Court has given lawmakers until Dec. 1 to approve the new maps.
Democrats have expressed concern that Republicans might amend the third set, as the law allows, to give the GOP a partisan benefit. It would be the first time that Iowa lawmakers reworked maps themselves rather than taking an LSA plan.
