Reading Could Vote Tisei Over Tierney in 2012

Former State Senator Richard Tisei said yesterday he plans to challenge Democratic Congressman John F. Tierney if a proposed redistricting plan is adopted, according to a story in today's Boston Globe. 

The Republican said the addition of Billerica and Tewksbury, towns that have voted Republican in recent years, could help the party defeat Tierney, the Globe reported. 

In addition to those towns, Tierney's district added a portion of Andover while keeping all of the towns it already had, according to the proposed redistricting map.

While Reading showed a preference for Tierney over his Republican challenger, Bill Hudak, , the town's voting pattern mirrored that of the state. However, in other races—particularly the governor's race—Reading showed a tendency toward Republican candidates.

Under the proposed redistricting plan, Congressman Ed Markey's 7th District is renamed the 5th District and is expanded to include a sliver of Cambridge, now represented by Michael Capuano, as well as the western towns of Southborough, Ashland, Holliston, Sherborn, and a large portion of Sudbury. And Markey would lose Everett to the new 7th District which would be represented by Capuano.

The redistricting proposal was unveiled Monday. It decreases the number of Congressional districts in the state from 10 to nine because the state's population grew slower than the rest of the nation's over the last 10 years.

The full House and Senate have to approve it before the Congressional session ends on Nov. 16. If that happens, the governor has to sign it in order for it to be approved.