Vargas twice has run unsuccessfully against Filner, perhaps on the mistaken calculation that the South Bay's growing Latino population would tip the 50th District in his favor. What he's really doing is undercutting the constituents and undercutting the border. I'll run in any district they give me, but this is really a stupid idea. Vargas said Filner has been aggressively lobbying legislative Democrats to leave his south San Diego County district alone. The decennial battle over redistricting typically involves legislators wrangling behind closed doors for months.
Allies become enemies.
The minority party wails that it is being done in by a greedy majority. Citizens groups complain their interests are being ignored. And, more often than not, everybody winds up in court. This year, California legislative committees are at least beginning the work of reconfiguring congressional, legislative and Board of Equalization districts amid uplifting talk of openness, compromise and conciliation. It takes openness and willingness to compromise.