Note: User Roguemapper provided me with invaluable advice on this diary and deserves no less credit than myself.
The Illinois Republican Party is fighting the passed and signedDemocraticgerrymander of Illinois drawn by Speaker Madigan. The Democratic maps roll back 2010 and strongly favor Dems in 12 of the 18 districts that will be used over this decade. It also double bunks quite a few state legislature Republicans and prevents them from ever taking a majority in either chamber for at least a decade. Understandably, the IL GOP is taking them to court under charges that it discriminates against Republicans and does not create a second Hispanic-majority seat. The former charge is a nonstarter since court precedent indicates that discrimination against a political party is nonjusticiable. The latter charge, on the other hand, has some merit. The Hispanic population of Illinois has grown quite a bit and is now 15.8% of the state's population, greater than the state's African-American population. Thus, the case theoretically has merit. However, reality does not measure out that way.
More below the fold.