Republican U.S. Representative Keith Rothfus toured Johnstown Tuesday, speaking out for the first time about the congressional redistricting.
“I’d like to see the current districts remain in place,” said Rothfus.
Rep. Rothfus also met with Johnstown police, drug coalition leaders and workers at Gautier Steel to talk about federal tax cuts and the Jobs Act.
Tuesday, Governor Tom Wolf rejected a GOP proposed map.
“I think it was meant to start a conversation to see what the Governor might sign,” said Rothfus.
Rothfus said changing the map could hurt his constituents in the six counties he represents and other voters across the state.
“We have many people across this Commonwealth running for Congress and it’s going to be very disruptive and very chaotic,” Rothfus said.
Republicans currently hold 12 seats out of 18 congressional districts (13 before former Rep. Tim Murphy resigned in October), despite the fact that there are more registered Democrats than Republicans in Pennsylvania.
“Politicians are going to be politicians, They’re going to rig it any which way they want anyhow,” said David McDermott, a democratic Johnstown resident.
“I think the most important thing is the basic principle of fairness in the redistricting process, so if you lose this congressman and get that one, I think you have to live with that,” said Rob Werner, the chief information officer for AmeriServ Bank and an independent Indiana County resident.
The state supreme court will now re-draw the map, but Rothfus said that decision should be make by state legislators, not a court.
“That’s totally outside the constitutional norm. So, as this process goes forward, we’re just going to have to see what happens between the governor and the legislature,” Rothfus said.