Sen. Brown: Create Mass. Minority House District

U.S. Sen. Scott Brown is urging state lawmakers to create a congressional seat based in Suffolk County that would have a majority of black, Latino, Asian and other minority voters.

The Massachusetts Republican said the so-called majority-minority district would be in keeping with the federal Voting Rights Act which he said was designed to ensure that no person's political power would be diminished because of the color of their skin.

Brown said the state's current congressional map includes districts that are not geographically compact and whose lines swerve around irrationally. He said the only logical conclusion is that those districts were drawn to protect incumbents.

Brown made his comments Wednesday in a letter to legislative leaders at the Massachusetts Statehouse.

The state is losing one of its 10 congressional seats, all now held by Democrats.