The LuLac Edition #3717, February 25th, 2018

THE NEW CONGRESSIONAL MAP AND WHAT IT MEANS

By now you’ve most likely seen the new map carved out by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. To be clear, the Court didn’t have to do it if the GOP Legislature had been fair. But they are so incapable of even the slightest compromise, the High Court elected by the people had to make the decision.
You’ll hear the Republican whiners talking about an even playing field and how it’s “unconstitutional”. Hmmm, I never saw anything in the Constitution I read about gerrymandering but the right wingers carry their little book in their back pockets making sure you know just how much an American they are!
But I digress. Let’s look at the map and how it affects our region.
CARTWRIGHT: His district makes up parts of Luzerne, Lackawanna, Monroe, Pike and Wayne Counties. With Monroe trending toward more Democratic and Independent voters (it was Monroe that saved Paul Kanjorski’s seat in 2008) that larger population base will even out Wayne and Pike which has been in a GOP District for over half a century. Cartwright has had the support of Democrats in both The Lu and The Lac which should keep him safe.
His opponent John Chrin, has literally been permanently nailed to Sammy Lesante’s guest chair on the Hazleton Public Access Channel. Now Hazleton is gone from the district. Oh well. Cartwright has been warning supporters about Chrin since last summer but now Chrin has to decide if he really wants this seat that bad. Watch the GOP side on this one.
BARLETTA’S 9th, the old 11th: Dan Meuser thought this might be a cake walk. But now the odds are stacked a little better for his opposition. Schuylkill County carried Tim Holden in all those years he was a Congressman. But the other counties always leaned Republican and will most likely remain Republican. The caveat to that though is how the Trump Presidency will look come election time to make this race competitive. If it is continuing on its most recent path, all bets might be off. That said, never underestimate the “passion” of the Trump voter.
MARINO'S district, the 12th formerly the 10th: is chock full of Republican diehards and Trump lovers. Casino Marino drew a straight flush with what the whining Republicans will tell you was “a Democratic gerrymandering court ordered partisan ruling." 
The bottom line here is this. Despite the pissing and moaning of the statewide Republicans, crying like little babies with their itty bitty feelings hurt....despite that....here we most likely will remain with one Democratic Congressman and two Republicans. 

MEANWHILE……….

……when the maps came out, here were statements from candidates.
MATT CARTWRIGHT: "I have represented Pennsylvania’s 17th Congressional District since 2013. Serving people in each town from Scranton and Wilkes-Barre to Easton and Pottsville is a tremendous honor.
My home is in the newly-drawn 8th District, which includes Lackawanna, Wayne, Pike and portions of Luzerne and Monroe counties in northeastern Pennsylvania. The change is bittersweet because I will miss working with constituents I’ve come to know. However, I look forward to working hard every day to serve all of my constituents, old and new."
ANDREW LEWIS: Lewis switched gears deciding to run in the 105th District of the State House. "Over the past month, the progressive Pennsylvania Supreme Court has decided to redraw the entire Pennsylvania congressional map with less than three months until the primary election. To this day, the map is still not final as there are multiple appeals in federal court from people across the political spectrum. That being said, it appears, based on the court-drawn map, that I will now be represented by one of the best conservatives in Washington, Congressman Scott Perry, and I could not be more excited to support his campaign as he prepares to run in his newly drawn district."
DAN MEUSER : "We anticipate this newly released map is going to be challenged on the basis of constitutionality, specifically as to whether the PA Supreme Court has the authority to draw maps. We will note, the court-drawn 9th Congressional District overlaps many areas in the 11th District where we have been campaigning hard for the past five months. At this time, we are going to continue to campaign in what was the original 11th Congressional District and will comment further once all legal challenges are resolved and district lines become definitive."
ALAN HOWE: Howe left this statement on Ballotpedia and then asked readers to go to the link outlining the court decision. "On February 19, 2018, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court adopted a new congressional district map after having ruled in January 2018 that the original map, adopted by the legislature in 2011, constituted an illegal partisan gerrymander. District locations and numbers differ between the two maps. The court also adjusted the primary election filing period for congressional candidates: filing begins on February 27, 2018, and ends on March 20, 2018. Further legal action is possible. Ballotpedia is monitoring these developments and will update our coverage accordingly. For the latest information, including images of the remedial and original maps."
https://ballotpedia.org/Redistricting_in_Pennsylvania#Congressional_redistricting.2C_2010

MARSHALL TO BE SHOWN AT WILKES TOMORROW NIGHT

On Monday, Feb. 26, as part of the Black History Month Series, the local chapter of the NAACP will be showing the movie “Marshall”. It starts at 6pm at Wilkes University in the Henry Student Center, Grand ball room 2nd floor.
Directed by Reginald Hudlin and written by Michael and Jacob Koskoff. It stars Chadwick Boseman as Thurgood Marshall, the first African-American Supreme Court Justice, and focuses on one of the first cases of his career. It also stars Josh Gad, Kate Hudson, Dan Stevens, Sterling K. Brown, and James Cromwell.