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West Jordan • A first attempt by GOP leaders to draw a statewide plan for 75 new Utah House districts is causing angst among incumbents — both Democrats and Republicans — by placing more than a dozen of them in new districts with another incumbent, creating tough matchups for re-election.

"This isn't the final map. It will be changed. This is just our first attempt to mesh together several regional maps that we had," Rep. Ken Sumsion, R-American Fork, House chairman of the Redistricting Committee, told The Salt Lake Tribune before a public hearing on Tuesday. "It is causing some angst."

That first-attempt map appears to be especially tough on Democrats. It would put at least seven of the 17 current Democrats (who are outnumbered by 58 House Republicans) into districts facing another incumbent, usually a fellow Democrat.

Sumsion said the current map was drawn without really looking at where incumbents live in Salt Lake County (the home of all but one House Democrat) and looked more at natural barriers and major highways.

He said Republicans plan to allow Democrats to draw new boundaries in their areas if they go along with having fewer House seats available there than they now hold. He said that could erase many of the current Democrat versus Democrat incumbent challenges in the GOP-created map.

Rep. Brian King, D-Salt Lake City, a member of the committee, said because of slow population growth in Salt Lake County, "The number of seats there will drop from 30 to 28. The question is, do Democrats lose both seats, do Republicans lose two seats, does each party lose one? I tell you that neither party wants to lose both seats."

King said Democrats are working on their own maps and hope to unveil their own versions soon.

The current statewide GOP-drawn map would force such Salt Lake County Democratic incumbents to face each other as King and Joel Briscoe; Larry Wiley and Neal Hendrickson; and David Litvack and Rebecca Chavez-Houck.

Also, it would put a Democrat and Republican in the same district: Rep. Janice Fisher, D, and Rep. Fred Cox, R, both West Valley City.

Sumsion said the map also puts several Republicans together. For example, he said fast growth in northern Utah County and slow growth around Provo and Orem forces putting at least two Republican incumbents against each other there. Currently, the map has Reps. Christopher Herrod, R-Provo, and Brad Daw, R-Orem, in the same new district.

"Chis Herrod is one of my good friends," Sumsion said, noting that he realizes the pain the map is causing incumbents. "I called him and told him … the numbers are driving this. We have to put two Republicans against each other there."

The map would also put Reps. Mike Noel, R-Kanab, and Kay McIff, R-Richfield, in the same large rural district, and Reps. Jeremy Peterson and Dixon Pitcher, both R-Ogden, in a mutual district.

On congressional redistricting, the committee took a straw poll among the 75 people attending a public hearing in West Jordan on Tuesday about what type of plan they prefer.

By about a 3-2 split, more favored a "pizza slice" plan that would have a rural-urban mix in each congressional district — which is often pushed by GOP leaders. The minority preferred creating three urban districts in a "doughnut hole" along the urban Wasatch Front surrounded by one rural "doughnut" district.

Democrats have charged that the "pizza slice" plan is an attempt by Republicans to dilute their votes in Salt Lake County to make it more likely to elect a Republican in each district.

Also at the hearing, a parade of mayors and other leaders from southwestern Salt Lake County asked the committee to form west-side legislative districts, saying the interests of the fast-growing west side and the older, established east side differ on such things as education, transportation and growth. —

Upcoming hearings

P Logan • Noon Wednesday, Taggart Student Center Auditorium, Utah State University, 650 N. 800 East

Ogden • 6 p.m. Wednesday, Ben Lomond High, 1080 Ninth St.

Salt Lake City • 6 p.m. July 20, Glendale Middle School, 1430 W. Andrew Ave.