California Legislature upended by new political maps

By DON THOMPSON
Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — New political maps drawn because of the once-a-decade census have upended the California Legislature. They’re prodding more than two-dozen state lawmakers into early retirement or career changes, while others are relocating to less familiar districts ahead of the November election. Democrats still vastly outnumber Republicans. But all the jockeying could endanger the power base of Democratic Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon and forced Senate leader Toni Atkins to intervene to avoid intraparty battles between her Democratic members. California’s political maps are drawn by the Citizens Redistricting Commission whose members aren’t allowed to consider if new district lines imperil sitting lawmakers. The number of seats in flux hasn’t been seen since the last redistricting a decade ago.