A super PAC with ties to U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries donated money to Coloradans for a Level Playing Field, the group leading an effort to temporarily redraw Colorado’s congressional map to create more Democratic-leaning districts.
According to the Colorado Sun, which first reported the donation, and Colorado's Transparency in Contribution and Expenditure Reporting (TRACER) system, the PAC donated $150,000.
Currently, Colorado’s eight congressional districts are represented by four Democrats and four Republicans.
Coloradans for a Level Playing Field’s proposed map would create seven Democratic-leaning districts and one Republican-leaning district for 2028 and 2030 elections.
“That's also going to have to create some very interesting lines to pull certain parts of districts in, because there are certain districts that have always been sort of purple-ish, say your Jeffco-, Arapahoe-type districts, and then you have your other ones that are more solid red,” said Alton Dillard, Denver7 political analyst.
Dillard said the proposal is a result of the current political climate.
“Democrats are having a bit of an identity crisis right now, and so Democrats that are accused of not swinging back against the current administration are getting called into question,” Dillard said. “Hakeem Jeffries has come out swinging in multiple ways. And so this is to shore up the majority that they (Democrats) think they're going to have, after this upcoming midterm.”
The Colorado Supreme Court is currently reviewing the redistricting proposal, and the group hopes to put it on the November ballot for voters to decide.
Dillard said redrawing maps before the next census sets a new precedent.
According to Coloradans for a Level Playing Field, if the measure passes, they are committed to independent redistricting and maintaining the independent redistricting commission’s authority to draw Congressional districts after the 2030 census.
