Westmoreland officials favor congressional map that unifies county

Jan. 23—Westmoreland County could be consolidated into one congressional district or see some of its western and northern communities split off into another that includes parts of Pittsburgh and the city's eastern suburbs under proposals that redraw the map determining Pennsylvania's representation in Washington, D.C.

The state will lose one seat in Congress, and proposals from the Republican-controlled state Legislature and Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf both eliminate a district representing Southwestern Pennsylvania.

Neither plan is expected to be the final version, and the state's congressional map ultimately could be determined by Supreme Court judges.

In 2018, judges stepped in to redraw the map used during the past two election cycles.

"I think this is old wine in new bottles," said Joe DiSarro, a political science professor at Washington & Jefferson College. "It's deja vu all over again. This is going nowhere but the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania."

The state House already approved its version, with the plan awaiting approval in the Senate.

It carves Allegheny County into two districts that split in Pittsburgh. One district incorporates the western and northern suburbs with Beaver and parts of Washington counties. The other district includes the city's eastern neighborhoods and suburbs.

A separate district would include all of Fayette, Greene, Somerset, Washington and Westmoreland counties.

The governor's proposal also splits Allegheny County in two. The district that represents the eastern part of Pittsburgh stretches to include part of North Huntingdon and Irwin as well as Arnold, Lower Burrell and New Kensington. The remaining portion of Westmoreland County, in the governor's plan, would be part of a district that includes part of Washington County and all of Fayette, Greene, Somerset and Bedford counties.

Senate Majority Leader Kim Ward, R-Hempfield, cautioned that the congressional district maps are still a work in progress.

"We continue to work through the redistricting process, so the maps are not final," she said. "A top priority for me is to consolidate the power of our high population as the largest county in a congressional district and being represented by one congressman in Westmoreland as opposed to two as we have presently. The map we are working on does that."

Westmoreland has long been divided into multiple congressional districts. The current map places the western half of Westmoreland County in a district that includes Washington, Fayette and Greene counties. Westmoreland's eastern communities, starting in Unity, are part of a district that includes Blair County and stretches about 150 miles east to Gettysburg in Adams County.

Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, R-Peters Township, and Rep. John Joyce, R-Altoona, serve as Westmoreland County's representatives in Congress.

Westmoreland's local officials also favor unifying the county into one congressional district.

"I think it would be best if Westmoreland County had its own congressional representative. We have a set of characteristics that don't align with other regional neighbors. For example, our biggest business sector is still farming and agriculture," said Westmoreland Commissioner Doug Chew, a Republican.

Commissioner Gina Cerilli Thrasher, a Democrat, flirted with running for Congress in 2018 but put the brakes on a potential campaign when she announced she would wait until the county is unified into one district.

Thrasher this week declined to comment on the proposed maps.

"I haven't seen the actual format for the maps yet. Therefore, I have not formulated an opinion as to which one would be better for Westmoreland County," Thrasher said in a text message.

DiSarro, a Republican, said both map proposals are flawed, although he believes the GOP-backed plan that political observers suggest favors Republicans is likely the better option for Western Pennsylvania.

"The maps are supposed to be continuous and not supposed to divide municipalities," DiSarro said.

State lawmakers and the governor must agree to a new map to avoid court intervention.

State election officials said a final congressional map is needed by Jan. 24 to prepare for this spring's primary. Commonwealth Court has set a Jan. 30 deadline before it intervenes.

Rich Cholodofsky is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Rich at 724-830-6293, rcholodofsky@triblive.com or via Twitter .