SE Illinois News

Illinoisans have paid a huge price for the state's gerrymandering, according to House hopeful Darren Bailey.

“The gerrymandered districts have allowed the Democrats to exercise total control of the legislative process for all but a few years in the 1990s since the state adopted the 1970 Constitution,” Bailey told the SE Illinois News. “Illinois has the worst pension system in the nation. We have a backlog of $16 billion. I would say we have all suffered from a process that has given one political party complete control of the state Legislature.”

Bailey, who recently launched his 2018 campaign against Rep. Dave Reis (R-Willow Hill) in the 109th District primary, insists that enough is enough, and many legislators seem to agree with him.

Darren Bailey

Fifteen Illinois lawmakers recently joined 50 more from seven other states to form a bipartisan coalition that has submitted an amicus curiae brief in the Gill v. Whitford case involving gerrymandering that is before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Reps. Bob Pritchard (R-Hinckley), Scott Drury (D-Highwood), Michael Fortner (R-West Chicago), Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) and David Olsen (R-Downers Grove), and Sens. Michael Connelly (R-Naperville), Sen. Karen McConnaughay (R-St. Charles), William Brady (R-Bloomington), Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods), Chris Nybo (R-Elmhurst), Dale Righter (R-Mattoon), Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet), Sue Rezin (R-Morris), Heather Steans (D-Chicago), Dave Syverson (R-Rockford), Jil Tracy (R-Quincy) and Chuck Weaver (R-Peoria), are part of the coalition.

Political gerrymandering is defined as the act of drawing up legislative districts for partisan advantage. The Wisconsin case concerns a redistricting dispute in which a U.S. district court found that the state violated certain protections provided by the First Amendment and the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.

The other states involved in the action are Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Rhode Island and Maryland.

“I think we should take the politics out of drawing legislative districts and allow an independent commission to draw the maps based on what is logical rather than what is politically expedient,” Bailey said. “Just look at Effingham County and the number of legislators representing that one single county. It makes no sense to divide a county the way Effingham County is divided."

Bailey said the one person who has continued to benefit by gerrymandering is House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago), who came into power in 1970 and said recently that he plans to stay through 2020, when another redistricting is planned.

“If you love high taxes, massive deficits and high unemployment, then you must be very pleased with Mike Madigan’s Illinois,” Bailey said. “But if you want change, then it is time we had district remap reform in Illinois.”

Bailey said he favors empowering an independent commission, with input from the public, in redrawing legislative districts.

“Whatever reform we enact, the reality is we need reform and we need it now,” Bailey said.

The 109th House District includes Wayne, Edwards and Wabash counties.