Arizona: Threats of recall follow Republican attempts to fire independent redistricting commission

After receiving a potentially unfavorable redistricting map, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer has removed the chair of Arizona's Independent Redistricting Commission, with Senate backing (the Senate is 21-9 Republican). According to the report, this could lead to an unprecedented constitutional battle.

In response, Democrats have threatened recalls against four moderate senators, which would take away the Republican two-thirds majority. If they do get on the ballot, any recalls wouldn't be held for some time (Arizona requires recalls to be held at the same time as a regularly scheduled election). Since voters don't exactly get jazzed up about redistricting issues, it's hard to know how this would play out.

This wouldn't be the first time that a veto majority led to a recall. In California in 2008 the Democrats forced a recall vote against Senator Jeff Denham in order to obtain a 2/3rds blocking majority against Gov. Schwarzenegger. The recall got on the ballot, but Denham easily won the election.