Brad Johnson - Senior Reporter, The Texan Joins Houston's Morning News

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Yeah, they're constantly dragging the line for voting and the
reason why he is because it's whatever power, you know,
party is in power, you get the ability to redraw
the map. And when you redraw the map, you generally
try to redraw it to your advantage. Usually what we're
talking about is Democrats versus Republicans. But in this particular
lawsuit where jury trial, by the way, we'll be involved

(00:23):
in this. We're talking about the plants alleging it's not
Democrats or Republicans, it's Hispanic voting power that spend diluted.
Brad Johnson joined us seeing a reporter at the Texan.
That's kind of unusual, don't you think, Brad.

Speaker 2 (00:37):
Well, while it is talking about specifically Hispanic voting power,
it is a proxy fight between Republicans and Democrats. So
you know, every time the maps are redrawn, as you said,
you see lawsuits filed, and usually it takes most of
the next decade to result them.

Speaker 1 (00:54):
That's so true.

Speaker 2 (00:54):
We are here, we are with one more lawsuits and
this may be the last one, although not going to
what we'll see. But yeah, the argument is from groups
like LULAC and other progressive groups that state Republicans intentionally
cracked communities of interest, specifically Hispanics in Dallas and Houston.

(01:15):
They're arguing that there should be at least one more
Hispanic majority congressional district in each of those places, along
with state legislative districts as well.

Speaker 1 (01:26):
Okay, are they bringing the suit because the assumption is
is that that's how those Hispanics will vote is for Democrats.

Speaker 2 (01:34):
Yeah, exactly, and you know, obviously, after what happened last
last cycle, that's something. The fact that Hispanics are shifting
towards Republicans is something but probably have to contend with
and we'll have to argue. Although when they first filed
this lawsuit, the Hispanic shifts hadn't happened yet. So it's
an interesting situation where you know, they're arguing facts from

(01:58):
you know, four years ago is what we're seeing now.
And I'm not sure how it's going to play out,
but I don't think it's going to turn out too well.

Speaker 1 (02:05):
So here's the other thing strikes me about this, Brad Johnson,
and that is that at least here in the Houston
metro the Hispanics are the majority. There are more Hispanics
than there are Caucasians at this particular point in time.
So it's very unusual, is it not to try to
bring a lawsuit involving the majority against the minority.

Speaker 2 (02:26):
Well, it's not just Houston, it's a state of entire
state right last year is something. Yeah, Hispanic majority was
established now with federal law, it's not really statistical minorities,
it's racial minorities, as you know, constitute under federal law.
And so I think there's a bit of a different

(02:47):
twist there. But you're right. I mean that's another thing
we'll have to contend with. This is not this is
not a majority white state anymore, and so what exactly
constitutes a majority as we're talking, you know, the subtle
redistricting law. So I think there's a lot of stuff
that's about to change in the way we think about,

(03:09):
especially in Texas, the way we think about this.

Speaker 1 (03:11):
I think you're probably right. This could this could end
up blowing up in their in their faces in a
very big way. We'll have to wait and see what happens.
Brad Johnson, thank you appreciate that that senior reporter at
the Texan Brad Johnson r R'd be safe from the
storms today. A'all have a great day. We'll see you
tomorrow morning, bright, nearly starting at five am. Hope to
see you this afternoon four on AM nine point fifty
KPRC