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The Republican-led U.S. House two weeks ago voted to overturn the sweeping new criminal justice changes made by Washington D.C’s. City Council.
No real surprise.
What was noteworthy, however, is that 31 Democrats voted with the GOP — including three vulnerable members of North Carolina’s Democratic delegation.
Don Davis (Greene County), Kathy Manning (Greensboro) and Wiley Nickel (Cary) all voted to overturn the City Council’s changes, which would, according to the Washington Post, “eliminate most mandatory minimum sentences, allow for jury trials in almost all misdemeanor cases, and reduce the maximum penalties for offenses such as burglaries, carjackings and robberies.”
D.C.'s Mayor Muriel Bowser said the changes would make the city less safe. Her veto had previously been easily overridden by the council.
The Constitution allows Congress to block Washington D.C. City Council legislation.
After 31 Democratic House members crossed the aisle, would two Democratic senators do the same? And would President Biden issue his first veto?
And for the Democrats who voted to overturn, their decision goes against two popular parts of their party: More home rule for Washington, D.C., (resulting in statehood) and criminal justice reform.
Facing a tough 2024
Nickel edged out Bo Hines to win the 13th District in November. Davis won the 1st District by nearly 5 percentage points. And Manning won the 6th District by nearly nine.
The problem for that trio is that their districts will likely become much harder to win after state Republicans redraw the Congressional map ahead of the 2024 election. With Republicans firmly in control of the state Supreme Court — and with a possible green light from the U.S. Supreme Court to have unfettered map-making power — the GOP may enact a brutal gerrymander against Democrats.
GOP state Senate Leader Phil Berger has said redistricting will likely start this summer.
North Carolina’s current congressional delegation has seven Republicans and seven Democrats.
An earlier version of the state’s congressional map, which was overturned by the state Supreme Court, gave the GOP the edge in 10 seats, with an opportunity to win an 11th.
It’s likely Manning and Nickel will see their districts go from blue to red. Davis’ rural northeastern district might become more competitive.
Jeff Jackson also in the crosshairs
The fourth vulnerable Democrat is Jeff Jackson of Charlotte.
Jackson voted against overturning the Washington, D.C., legislation, but he did vote with Republicans in early February on a resolution that was little more than political posturing: A call to condemn socialism.
The measure says “socialist ideology necessitates a concentration of power that has time and time again collapsed into Communist regimes, totalitarian rule, and brutal dictatorships.”
Davis, Manning and Nickel voted for that one too.
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