Norman May Represent More of Westchase

When the Florida Senate returns to session just after the New Year, elected officials will consider a new district boundary map that gives Jim Norman a bigger piece of Pasco’s pie and a smaller chunk of Hillsborough’s.

Under the proposal, Norman, who enjoys strong support in Pasco, would no longer serve as the state senator for New Tampa and Temple Terrace. Instead, he would pick up more of eastern Pasco while District 10’s Sen. Ronda Storms, R-Brandon, would step into the area. He would also pick up a greater portion of the Westchase area, which are currently served by Sen. Jack Latvala, R-St. Petersburg.

The new maps are being drawn up as a part of the state’s reapportionment efforts. Every 10 years, the state redraws its district boundary maps based on population data made available through the U.S. Census. The idea is to make sure that elected officials have districts that cover roughly the same number of people.

While reapportionment isn’t meant to give elected officials a competitive edge, The Tampa Tribune is saying that the proposed map does give Norman more Pasco voters, which is a likely benefit for him. Norman won every Pasco precinct he ran in during his 2010 election campaign.

Norman’s current district includes portions of Westchase, Temple Terrace, New Tampa and a large piece of Pasco.

The State Senate is expected to take up the redistricting proposal when it goes back into session Jan. 10.