Latino Senator Torres elected in Yakima moved out of district by judge

John Ley 
For Clark County Today

Nikki Torres, a latino Washington state senator in the 15th District has been drawn out of her district by a federal judge. The new map alters boundaries on 13 of the state’s 49 legislative districts including the 17th District in east Clark County. This came about because of alleged racism against latino voters centered around Yakima.

Judge Robert Lasnik, of the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, ordered the adoption of a redistricting map that impacts 12 Republicans and one Democrat according to news reports. The adopted map redistricts out several current Republican lawmakers ahead of the 2024 general election.

In Clark County, the 20th District boundary is extended farther south past Hockinson to 99th Street in east county, carving out some of the current 17th District. To make up for that reduction in voters, the 17th is extended into a significant part of Klickitat County going all the way to Goldendale. It also changes the voting characteristics from a Republican leaning district to a Democrat leaning district.

Torres calls the judge’s actions a “mockery of the Voting Rights Act.” She added: “This map DISENFRANCHISES Hispanics – all to help the Democratic party gain seats towards a supermajority in the legislature.”

“The Voting Rights Act was supposed to empower affected minority populations,” she wrote. “This map DECREASES the number of Hispanics in the Majority Minority district and redistricts out the first Hispanic Senator in eastern Washington history.”

Jim Walsh, Washington State Republican Party chair blasted the Judge’s decision. “WA voters should be disturbed by the opinion issued today from federal Judge Robert Lasnik in the matter of WA’s recent legislative redistricting plan,” he said “The opinion is a heavy-handed, partisan usurpation of the Washington Redistricting Commission’s lawful and orderly work.”

Representation in the 17th District was already changing. Sen. Lynda Wilson announced she was retiring earlier this month. Rep. Paul Harris announced he would run for Wilson’s Senate seat, leaving an open seat in the House.

“This redistricting represents a blatant undermining of fair voter representation,” said Hannah Joy who recently filed to run in the 17th District. “It clearly disenfranchises minorities and threatens the 17th District’s unique rural communities.”

Among the elected representatives drawn out of their current districts is Republican Rep. Gina Mosbrucker. She is now in the redrawn 17th District. According to data on Dave’s Maps — the new 17th is 50.9 percent Democrat and 47.7 percent Republican. This is based on 2016 to 2022 voting patterns. 

Below are the known impacts of the Lasnik map on Washington state, according to Senator Torres.

• LOWERS the numbers of Hispanics from the current 52.6% to 50.2% (comparing LD’s 14 and 15).
• Moves the first eastern Washington Latina elected Senator – Senator Nikki Torres – from the district which she won handily into a wholly new district with another incumbent Republican Senator – LD 16.
• Redistricts out Sen. Curtis King (LD 14).
• Redistricts out Sen. Brad Hawkins (LD 12).
• Likely redistricts out three Republican House members.
• Eliminates the Yakima Valley district that is a “toss-up” swing district (+1.8% GOP) and packs the other Yakima Valley district, which is already heavily Republican (+9.4% GOP), with more Republicans (+21.7% GOP). This allows the “toss-up” district to become solidly Democrat (+12%).
• Transforms a SW Washington district (LD 17) and another central Washington district (LD 12) into much more competitive districts for Democrats.
• Makes a massive disruption of people throughout the state. More than 500,000 people are moved affecting 13 districts – 12 of which are Republican and 1 Democrat. In comparison, the intervenors offered a map with around 80,000 people moved in only three districts. The intervenor map was rejected. Legally, maps are supposed to make the minimal changes needed to remedy the violation.

Republican Senate Leader, John Braun, called the Lasnik map, “shameful.”

“That this judge would allow the Voting Rights Act to be used to redistrict Sen. Torres out of her district is frankly outrageous,” Braun said. “The Voting Rights Act was designed to help our minority citizens, not disenfranchise them.  In this case, the judge also reduces the number of Hispanics in central Washington’s majority minority district.”

He shared that Washington state senate and House Democrats refused to reconvene the bipartisan Redistricting panel “because they knew that the bipartisan mechanism in it would foil their desire for gerrymandered maps.  This decision is not a repudiation of the Commission.  It is a repudiation of current Democratic legislative leadership.”

Washington State Democratic Party Chair Shasti Conrad signaled last fall that her goal was for her party to have a supermajority in the legislature so they could alter the state constitution. In a posting on X (formerly Twitter) she said: “With supermajorities we can clean up the constitution! My goal for 2026!”

“Today is a great day for democracy as Washington state gains a new legislative district map that prioritizes diverse voices,” Conrad wrote. “We greatly appreciate that Washington’s judiciary recognized the need to rectify systemic racism in the central region of our state.” She added: “Our Party will be working overtime to engage and activate constituent communities in the 14th Legislative District in this year’s elections and build our Democratic majority.”

The Washington State Republican Party has filed an Appeal with the 9th Circuit Court. They hope to get a stay, stopping the current map from being implemented until the appeal can be heard.

• New 18th LD is 50.3% Republican and 48.1% Democrat, according to Dave’s maps. 
• New 49th LD is 59.7% Democrat and 38.6 percent Republican. 
• New 20th LD is 64.3% Republican and 34.3% Democrat.

Torres was drawn into the 16th Legislative District. It’s unclear if she plans to mount a challenge for the seat of another Tri-City area lawmaker. 

The new map is the result of a lawsuit filed on behalf of the UCLA Voting Rights Project against Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs, alleging that 2021 redistricting efforts diluted Latino electoral influence in the Yakima Valley.

Sen. Torres would need to move into the redrawn 15th to seek re-election. Or she could move into the newly drawn 14th district and run this year. A third option is she could challenge fellow Republican Sen. Perry Dozier of Waitsburg who is up for reelection in the 16th district this year.

The new map splits Wenatchee and East Wenatchee. Sen. Brad Hawkins, R-East Wenatchee, who represents the 12th District, finds himself in the 7th District now served by Sen. Shelly Short, R-Addy. On Friday, he announced he’ll move the short distance to Wenatchee, where he grew up, in order to remain in the 12th district and run for re-election this year.

Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima, represents the former 14th district but is now in the 15th district. His term expires this year. It wasn’t immediately clear Friday if he would relocate in order to run.

In the House, Republican Reps. Chris Corry of Yakima and Gina Mosbrucker of Goldendale, who currently represent the 14th district, will both be in new districts. Corry will be in the 15th and Mosbrucker in the 17th.

Walsh told Clark County Today that the motion for a stay is being considered on an emergency, fastrack basis. Lawyers are filing pro and con arguments this week. They expect a decision next week, possibly as soon as next Monday. 

“At the same time,” Walsh said, “all sides are gearing up for a long, hard appeals process.” He said US Supreme Court involvement is not out of the question.