Pasco may anchor district

Pasco County voters could have their best chance ever to elect a hometown representative to Congress in 2012.

In a bit of a surprise move, the House Redistricting Committee last Friday endorsed a congressional map that creates an open seat in Florida's 12th district. The committee is scheduled to vote Friday on a final version of the map.

"We selected that one as a base map to vote on (this) week," Rep. John Legg said. "It can still be amended, but we wanted it to be out there for a week before we voted on it."

Legg, who chaired the Congressional Redistricting Subcommittee, preferred a different version that would have combined Pasco with Hernando County and a small area of northeast Pinellas County. While the district would have been Pasco-centric, it still would have included incumbent Rep. Rich Nugent's home county.

Legg, R-Port Richey, said the committee wasn't happy with how that map would have divided up Central Florida. "You have to look at the state in its totality," Legg said.

Instead, the committee chose a map that included all of Pasco and the East Lake area of northeast Pinellas. But instead of picking up voters in Hernando County, it swoops down into northwest Hillsborough, taking in Citrus Park, Westchase, Lutz and Carrollwood.

Legg said he still believes Pasco voters have more in common with Hernando. "But if you combine Pasco with north Hillsborough and the New Tampa area, that makes sense, too," Legg said.

If the committee approves the map, it should head to the full House by next week.

The Senate already has approved a congressional district map that combines Pasco with Hernando and a portion of western Polk County.

"We're going to have to work out our differences," Legg said.

Keeping Pasco intact would guarantee that two-thirds of the district's population would live here. That's because each congressional district must have a population of 696,345. According to the 2010 census, Pasco's population was 464,997, which would equal 66 percent of any new congressional district.

"It's time for Pasco to have its own congressional seat, and this way we get one of two new seats," Legg said.

Speaker-designate Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, said there still is time for voters to comment on any of the maps.

"As chairman of the committee, I appreciate the many suggestions from the public, which are helping to ensure our options for maps that further reflect the wishes of cities and communities across the state," Weatherford said.