PHOENIX — Majority Republicans who don't like the state's new congressional and legislative districts want the Arizona Legislature to go to court to challenge one or both maps and the voter-created redistricting commission's authority.
The House and Senate on Wednesday approved Republican motions authorizing the chambers' top leaders to file or join legal legislation related to redistricting, a hot-button political issue.
Two Republican-backed lawsuits challenging both maps have already been filed in state and federal courts.
Redistricting poses high stakes for the political parties because where lines are drawn can determine whether candidates have realistic shots at winning election.
Republicans say the commission didn't obey constitutional mapping criteria and processes. They also say the voter-approved measure creating the commission may violate a U.S. Constitutional provision saying legislatures are responsible for congressional redistricting.
"This was a voter initiative that took this power from the legislature. I don't think you can do that. That needs to be litigated. That needs to be answered," said Rep. Ted Vogt, R-Tucson.
These two suits filed on behalf of a Republican legislator, tea party activists and other individuals both ask judges to order drawing of new maps, and one requests a court-drawn interim legislative map for use in this year's elections.
Republicans have criticized the commission for months, saying key staff choices and later mapping choices were biased in favor of Democrats — a charge denied by the commissioners involved.
"I felt this process was hijacked from the beginning and the maps are not constitutional. But that is an issue that should be decided in the court," said Rep. Justin Pierce, R-Mesa.
Republican Gov. Jan Brewer leveled similar criticism at the commission's chair, Colleen Mathis, in attempting to oust the Tucson independent last fall.
However, the Arizona Supreme Court reinstated Mathis, and the commission in January approved final maps that recently cleared federal reviews for Voting Rights Act compliance.
Democrats said the Republican lawmakers' push to challenge the commission and its maps is out of line because voters created the commission.
"Let's take the fight where it should be in the election process, not in the Legislature," said Rep. Martin Quezada. "People went to the independent redistricting meetings. They testified. They told what communities of interest they wanted to be respected ... everybody had an opportunity to do that."
Democrat also said it was misguided to spend public money on suing a state commission at a time when the state has refused to reverse recent budget cuts for health care and education.
Senate Majority Whip Frank Antenori, R-Tucson, said Senate Republicans did not consider how much the litigation would cost, but he said the money would come from the budgets of the House and Senate.
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Associated Press reporter Terry Tang contributed.