HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) - The panel of state lawmakers charged with redrawing Connecticut's legislative and congressional district lines has chosen another former state senator to be its ninth tie-breaking member after the group's original choice resigned.
John McKinney, a Republican former leader of state Senate, was chosen unanimously Tuesday by the bipartsian Reapportionment Commission. He replaces former Democratic state Sen. Kevin Johnston, a former state auditor, who recently informed the panel he would not be able to serve as the ninth member.
The commission's members did not provide a reason for Johnston's resignation during Tuesday's meeting. Johnston, of Pomfret, had served as the ninth member during the 2011 redistricting process.
``I know he feels badly that he's unable to follow through on the appointment, as he did 10 years ago and did such a fine job then,'' said Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney, D-New Haven, of Johnston.
McKinney, who lives in Westport, represented the 28th state Senate district from 1999 until 2015. He served as minority leader for seven years and was a GOP candidate for governor in 2014, losing to businessman Tom Foley in the party's primary.
Both Republicans and Democrats said they believe McKinney will do a good job in his role of helping the panel reach a bipartisan agreement on how to redraw Connecticut's legislative and congressional district boundaries. In 2011, lawmakers couldn't reach agreement on the congressional district boundaries and the Connecticut Supreme Court ultimately named a special master to redraw the lines.
