In 1924, the year North Attleboro’s Joe Martin was first elected to Congress, there were 16 House districts in Massachusetts. Thirteen of those were represented by Republicans.
US Representative Bill Keating is not exactly the most high profile or vocal member of the Massachusetts congressional delegation. But Keating, who represents the Ninth District, has been adamant and forceful in his opposition to the Legislature’s proposed new congressional districts — a proposal that has caused great controversy for its failure to put together the sizeable cities of Fall River and New Bedford in the same district.
Legislative leaders crafting Massachusetts’ congressional map pushed back on Tuesday against criticisms of their decision to split the South Coast’s two major cities into separate districts, punctuating hours of deeply divided — and sometimes parochial — testimony over how best to draw boundaries through the region.
