(The Center Square) – The latest discussion about political maps in Wisconsin saw state senators from both parties crying foul about hypocrisy and partisan politics.
The Wisconsin Senate passed Gov. Tony Evers’ political maps Tuesday to head off potentially worse maps from the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
“I’m going to vote for these maps because the process that’s under way in the Supreme Court certainly doesn’t appear that it’s going to take our arguments seriously, or even consider them,” Sen. Duey Stroebel, R-Cedarburg, said. “So, we kind of have a gun to our head frankly is really how it’s looking right now.”
Democrats, as expected, objected to the maps drawn by the Democratic governor.
Sen. Chris Larson, D-Milwaukee, said Republicans are being hypocritical, and are only willing to vote for “fair maps” to save their political futures.
“The timing on this is quite suspicious,” Larson said. “Putting forward a set of maps at the 11th hour, before accountability is finally coming, before finally the courts are stepping in. The adults in the room are coming in to ‘say stop screwing around with the district, stop trying to rig the maps.’”
Republican Julian Bradley threw the claim of hypocrisy right back at Larson.
“The hypocrisy,” Bradley, R-Franklin said. “‘Wait, let’s let the public weigh in.’ But no, no, no, no. ‘Actually, we just want the court to decide.’ But wait, the court already decided. I was there. I remember, I saw they decided the maps we have today. The adults in the room did their job. We asked them too, and they did.”
Bradley is one of nearly two dozen incumbent Republican lawmakers who Evers drew out of their districts.
Bradley said he doesn’t like the idea of voting for those maps but said it’s the option in front of the legislature.
“This, by the way, [is] the closest thing to following the constitutional process for redistricting that will take place, unless we of course give our power to the Supreme Court,” Bradley added. “I would prefer the people that elected me to be the ones that had the voice and the decision of whether or not I got to come back to this body, not the Supreme Court.”
The Senate approved the maps on an 18-14 vote with most Democrats voting against the idea.
Evers said earlier in the day he would sign the maps if they arrived at his desk without any changes.
“I believe in them. I believed in them when I we put it in, and yeah, I still believe it now,” Evers said. “The why-not is my skepticism that’s going to happen, period. But if it does, of course.”
