This map released by the judicial appointee to redraw congressional lines shows details of New York City.
Queen’s 9th Congressional district has been dismantled and doled out in a redistricting map proposed by a special master appointed to draw nonpartisan lines.
The Queens portion of the 9th, which previously covered a swath from Rego Park down to the Rockaways, would be absorbed into three neighboring districts.
Stretching west from Middle Village, Maspeth, Ridgewood and Glendale through Flushing and east to Bayside, the new 6th District’s largest voting block would be Asian residents.
Woodhaven and Cypress Hills would join the 7th District, which snakes over to Manhattan and then down to Brooklyn.
Finally, Howard Beach, Ozone Park and Lindenwood would become part of the largely Brooklyn–based 8th District and hold a majority of black voters.
With that plan, Rep. Bob Turner (D-Queens), who holds the 9th, could be without a district.
After a hard-fought special election, he faces the prospect of running against nearby incumbents in 2013.
In a statement, he said he would fight for a seat regardless.
“The redistricting plan introduced today by the Special Master is just another step in the process. I am prepared to run in whatever district I reside in once the final lines are adopted,” Turner said. As the lines are drawn, he would reside in the 5th District.
That proposed district includes JFK, parts of South Ozone Park and Woodhaven, and extends down to the Rockaways.
Assemblyman Rory Lancman (D-Hillcrest) was already campaigning against Turner in an effort to take back the longtime Democrat-held 9th District. But he may end up facing off against his own party.
When the maps hit Tuesday morning, Lancman’s campaign was quick to say he would run in the new 6th District if lines hold.
“The Special Master’s lines came out today, and while I can’t predict what the final lines will ultimately look like, the Special Master’s district six is centered around my home and communities that I have represented in the Assembly, on the community board and as a civic leader for over twenty years. I look forward to the opportunity to run for Congress when the lines are finalized,” he said in a statement.
He would compete with Democrat incumbent Gary Ackerman, who also announced Tuesday that he will run there if the lines stand.
After the State Senate and Assembly could not agree on a map and supplied competing proposals instead, a panel of judges assigned the special master to draw up a plan.
After a public hearing in Brooklyn Monday, the special master released the maps more quickly than expected.
New York State is expected to eliminate two congressional districts to match up with 2010 census data.
Final lines must be approved either by a panel of judges or the state legislature before New York’s primaries.
The Congressional primary is scheduled for June 26, and the state legislature primary is scheduled for Sept. 11.
Candidates however, can start circulating petitions to run on March 20—a difficult task if they don’t know what districts will exist.
By Jeremiah Dobruck
j.dobruck@theforumnewsgroup.com
