Texas Tribune 1/30/12

The Brief: Top Texas News for Jan. 30, 2012

(snip)
“What’s significant is that there’s never been any discussions. There are now,” said state Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, the San Antonio Democrat who chairs the Mexican American Legislative Caucus, one of the minority groups with which the state is negotiating. “Something’s motivating that.”

And The Hill says such negotiations would likely give Texas Democrats at least four more seats in Congress (the party needs about 25 to retake the House).

“They’re backed up against the wall and have to come to some agreement, and it’ll be awfully favorable on our end,” said one of the plaintiffs in the case. Another plaintiff said “it’s clear they know they’re in a vulnerable position, and that’s why they want to settle.”

Two of the plaintiffs said an agreement would likely be reached early this week.

News of the negotiations came a day after testimony wrapped in a Washington-based trial to determine whether the state's original Republican-drawn redistricting maps violate federal Voting Rights Act standards.