Latino Groups Propose Sweeping Congressional Map

A new proposed congressional map suggests sweeping changes to Colorado’s districts to reflect the state’s growing Hispanic population.

The Denver Post reports that the map proposed Friday by the Colorado Latino Forum and the Colorado Hispanic Bar Association puts U.S. Democratic Rep. Ed Perlmutter of Golden in the same district as U.S. Republican Rep. Scott Tipton of Cortez.

The map also makes U.S. Republican Rep. Mike Coffman’s district in the southern Denver suburbs more Democratic.

The proposal is part of a redistricting lawsuit filed by Democrats and Republicans after the Legislature failed to agree on new congressional lines.

Both parties have also proposed maps and a trial is set for October.

Districts must be updated every 10 years to account for population change.

Hispanics made up 42 percent of the state’s growth since 2000.