Redistricting Plan Passes House

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Under a redistricting plan passed Tuesday by the Kentucky House, more than 400,000 Kentuckians would have a new Congressman. House Speaker Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg, said the proposed plan brings geographic commonsense to the congressional districts, though it's vastly different in some ways than a plan offered by the state's six congressmen. Republicans objected to the plan, saying it includes new boundaries for the 5th District that would put Republican U.S. Representative Hal Rogers, the longest serving member of Kentucky's congressional delegation, on the southwestern edge of his jurisdiction while extending the northern edge into Democratic territory. House Republican Floor Leader Jeff Hoover of Jamestown said the redistricting plan is clearly intended to try to protect the state's two Democratic congressman, Ben Chandler and John Yarmuth. The proposal from House Democrats would give Ashland and Owensboro different congressmen.