What Rep. Olver's Retirement Means For The Redistricting Effort

Next week, the Massachusetts Legislature is expected to propose a plan to reduce the state's 10 congressional districts to nine. Massachusetts has to lose a district because its population growth has not kept pace with the rest of the country.

Until Wednesday, most observers expected the proposal to force two of the state's 10 members of Congress to run against each other. But then John Olver, the congressman for Massachusetts' first congressional district, in the western part of the state, announced that he is retiring.

WBUR political reporter Fred Thys joined All Things Considered Thursday to talk about what Olver's retirement means to the redistricting effort.

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