* All but one Congressional Republican (Tim Johnson) and a fundraising group they formed called the Committee for a Fair and Balanced Map have filed suit against the new congressional map. Read the lawsuit by clicking here.

* Tribune…

It alleges the new map, aimed at reversing GOP gains in last year’s mid-term elections, denies Latino voters adequate representation, lacks compactness in the new districts and doesn’t protect communities of interest.

A joint statement issued by 10 of the state’s 11 GOP members of Congress contended “an impartial review of the facts in court will expose the serious defects in this map and reverse the naked partisan power-grab contemplated by Democrats.” The lone Republican congressman not part of the suit is Rep. Tim Johnson of Urbana, who has already said he doubts a court will overturn the map.

* Daily Herald…

The plan, approved by the General Assembly in late May and signed quietly into law by Gov. Pat Quinn late last month, violates the First Amendment as well as the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment, the lawsuit says.

“(The map) as a whole and several individual districts in particular represent a flexing of Democratic political muscle in Springfield aimed at creating a Democratic majority in the Illinois Congressional Delegation, regardless of the actual preferences of the electorate demonstrated only nine months ago,” the lawsuit reads.

The plan dismantles traditional areas of Republican influence such as DuPage County, diluting that influence across multiple districts, many carefully connected to traditional areas of Democratic strength.

That blueprint — stretching and skewing suburban boundaries lines to protect Democrats’ traditional Chicago base — could reduce Republican representation in Congress by as many as five seats, political experts say

* Back to the Trib…

The lawsuit alleges that the current ear-muff shaped West Side and suburban district held by Democratic Rep. Luis Gutierrez was packed with additional Latino population to the detriment of giving Latinos an additional district or more influence in neighboring districts. Illinois saw a growth in Latino population of more than 30 percent.

The Republicans contend it was part of a move to protect a southwest side and suburban district held by Democrat Rep. Dan Lipinski and a district held by North Side Democrat Rep. Mike Quigley. Quigley’s new district would now go from the lakefront westward into Elmhurst in DuPage County, a traditional GOP bastion, and south to Hinsdale, the current home of GOP Rep. Judy Biggert.

* Related…

* The proposed map

* GOP files lawsuit over Illinois congressional map

* 8th wars: Splitting the baby: 8th District Democratic Candidates Raja Krishnamoorthi and Tammy Duckworth are now tussling over the support - or more accurately, neutrality - of big name Dems Melissa Bean and Debbie Halvorson. In mid-June, we, along with a number of other political blogs ran a statement Bean, of Barrington, had released in support of Raja, noting she’d supported Raja’s candidacy financially with $1,000 cash donation and a $2,000 in-kind contribution of office equipment left over from her previous campaign.

* Editorial: Joe Walsh has a loud voice, but nothing to say

* VIDEO: Quiet Leadership