Republican effort to repeal maps faces uphill battle

by Brian Leubitz

Field Poll’s latest effort focuses on the question of the redistricting commission (full PDF here), and well, wait, that happened?

California voters are inclined to support the political maps drawn by a commission they created, but nearly two-thirds are unfamiliar with the work of the California Citizens Redistricting Commission, a new Field Poll shows.

The survey found huge majorities of Democrats, Republicans and nonpartisans unfamiliar with the 14-member panel and its work this year to craft new political boundaries for 80 state Assembly seats, 40 Senate seats and 53 members of Congress from California.(SacBee)

To the right, you can see the numbers, but one thing sticks out.  Informed voters like the plan and aren’t interested in repealing them.  As in, they remember about the fact that they played a part in approving Prop 11, and don’t really mind how it went down.  That’s really not good news for those who are trying to repeal the Senate and Congressional maps (the Republicans.)  

Already we’re hearing about spin on these numbers, arguing that claims of special interests getting preferential treatment will inspire voters to kick the maps back to the “independent” (as in, vastly more Republican than the state as a whole) judiciary.

Unless some sort of major funding (as in tens of millions) comes in, these maps look pretty solid to survive.  Good luck to the Republicans in their effort to play the good government hero against, um, well, those evil nonpartisan good government organizations.