Democrats in Pa. unhappy with districts

HARRISBURG, Pa., Dec. 14 (UPI) -- Pennsylvania Democrats say the Republicans' proposed map of the state's congressional districts is a highly partisan one.

They are especially critical of the new lines for the district in the Philadelphia suburbs represented by Republican Pat Meehan, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported. The proposed new district would include rural and suburban areas in five counties while putting some heavily black and Democratic areas in a Philadelphia district now represented by Democrat Bob Brady.

Pennsylvania is losing one of its 19 congressional seats following the 2010 Census. Republicans hold the governor's seat and have majorities in both houses of the state Legislature, putting them in control of the redistricting process.

Meehan's district as it is now drawn was thought to be a possible Democratic pickup since John Kerry carried it in 2004 and Barack Obama in 2008.

Bill Patton, a Democratic spokesman, said the shape looks "like roadkill."

"It kind of looks like an oil spill," said David Landau, the Delaware County Democratic chairman. "We now have Amish farmers crammed in with the inner-ring suburbs. What is this district now? What is the common interest? The only interest here is pure power."