Opponents have launched a referendum drive aimed at killing California's newly drawn congressional districts.

The campaign will be led by Carlos Rodriguez, a Republican political strategist who has run numerous congressional and legislative campaigns.

"The maps just absolutely make no sense in a number of cases," Rodriguez said of congressional districts drawn for the first time this year by a citizens commission, not the Legislature.

A similar signature-gathering drive was begun weeks ago by a separate group challenging California's new state Senate districts.

Both efforts must gather 504,760 valid voter signatures by Nov. 13 to qualify for the June ballot.

Orange County businesswoman Julie Vandermost is listed in state documents as the proponent in both campaigns, which employ the same legal counsel, Charles H. Bell Jr. of Sacramento.

Rodriguez said it is a "distinct possibility" that the two drives will join forces under one fundraising umbrella, but they have not done so yet.

Rodriguez declined to identify the primary backers of his campaign. He said the group has been in discussion with some GOP congressional incumbents but that other groups or communities are concerned about the new maps, too.

The California Republican Party – which has donated $100,000 to overturn the state Senate maps – has not yet been asked to endorse the drive against congressional maps, Rodriguez said.

"We're working cooperatively with the congressional referendum committee, and we'll continue to support them as the process unfolds," Tom Del Beccaro, state GOP chairman, said in a written statement Tuesday.

California's 53 new congressional maps received unanimous approval by Democrats and independent or minor-party members of the 14-member redistricting commission. But only three of five Republican panelists, the bare minimum required, gave the congressional maps thumbs up.

Rodriguez said the congressional maps unnecessarily fragment many communities of interest, and he indicated that the district lines are being analyzed for compliance with federal laws designed to protect the voting clout of minority groups. He declined to elaborate.

Tony Quinn, a political analyst and former GOP legislative staffer, said the new lines are regarded by many as potentially detrimental to several Republican congressmen, including David Dreier of San Dimas, Edward Royce of Fullerton and Jerry Lewis of Redlands.

Quinn speculates that the new lines could cost the GOP a seat or two in the congressional delegation, but he noted that others have estimated potential losses of up to six GOP seats.

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