FRANKFORT — It’s the most partisan of partisan political decisions lawmakers make.

And there were cries from state House Republicans on Wednesday as the majority House Democrats unveiled a state legislative redistricting plan which potentially pits nine incumbents against each other, including placing three incumbent Republican lawmakers in the same district.

The plan was passed out of committee Wednesday and is expected to pass the full House on Thursday.

Republican Rep. Jill York of Grayson suddenly finds herself in the same district with House Majority Leader Rocky Adkins, D-Sandy Hook. Incumbent Republicans Jim DeCesare of Bowling Green, Michael Meredith of Brownsville and C.B. Embry of Morgantown would be in the same district under a plan drawn by Speaker Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg, and Rep. Mike Cherry, D-Princeton, along with other Democratic leaders.

Republican Floor Leader Jeff Hoover of Jamestown, who now faces a potential primary in his newly drawn district which will stretch from Monroe County to a portion of Pulaski County, said the plan is unfair and is the sort of partisan maneuvering that causes the public to lose faith and trust in government.

“I just think it shows they are political cowards,” Hoover said.

Danny Ford, the Republican Whip from Mt. Vernon who is now looking at a district that stretches from Madison County through his home county of Rockcastle then along a pencil-thin line in Pulaski to Casey County, called the plan “gerrymandering.”

The plan splits Madison County four ways, once more than currently, but one less than Rep. Rita Smart, D-Richmond, had feared.

Stumbo said the plan was not built out of “bitterness,” but was driven by population shifts.

“On balance, the plan is a very good plan and I think it’ll have a good deal of support unless the Republicans want to block vote it,” Stumbo said. He said a lot of Democrats are also unhappy, including Adkins, who loses Rowan County where he represented the area of Morehead State University, his alma mater.

Adkins said the changes were produced by a “domino effect” of population losses in the eastern and western portions of the state and said it was “painful” for him to lose so many constituents he’d represented for years. But he said he looks forward to picking up Carter County, which he knows well and travels frequently.

York, who lives in Carter County and presently represents it and Lewis County, saw her district carved up four ways to balance population needs in districts represented by Adkins and three other Democrats - Tanya Pullin of South Shore, Mike Denham of Maysville and John Will Stacy of West Liberty.

She said she is “incredibly disappointed at the total lack of concern that’s been given to the citizens of Lewis County,” which is split three ways between Pullin, Denham and Stacy.

“When I look at the map as a whole, the only conclusion I can come to is there is more political gamesmanship in play than genuine concern over services to our citizens,” said York. She said she hadn’t seen the map before Wednesday and wants to consider it carefully but she did not rule out running against Adkins in the new district if it gets final passage in both chambers.

York said she will withhold judgment until the Senate acts, but she conceded “tradition” is for one chamber to accept the other’s plan in exchange for acceptance of its own.

Senate President David Williams, R-Burkesville, said later Wednesday that won’t change.

“To expect that the House could have any impact on the Senate plan or the Senate on the House plan would only be a recipe for gridlock and that won’t happen,” Williams said.

He said the Senate is likely to pass its redistricting plan next week and it may pit some incumbents against each other – “but it won’t put three Democrats in the same district,” a reference to the House plan which puts Republicans DeCesare, Meredith and Embry in the same district.

DeCesare said he isn’t “completely surprised,” given he’s in the minority party in the House but was surprised Democrats put three Republicans in the same district. He said he hasn’t had time to determine what impact on his future plans it might have.

Marie Rader, R-McKee, will lose Owsley County in her newly drawn district which stretches from Jackson through a narrow corridor in Laurel County to pick up an entirely new county – McCreary.

“It’s a new day today and we take what cards we are dealt and do what we can do,” Rader said. She said Owsley County has “been dear to me.” But she said she understands the political nature of redistricting and she said she’ll “work with the people of McCreary County to give them the best representation possible.”

Other Republicans who would be placed in the same districts are Mike Harmon of Danville and Kim King of Harrodsburg and Myron Dossett of Pembroke and Ben Waide of Madisonville.

RONNIE ELLIS writes for CNHI News Service and is based in Frankfort. Reach him at rellis@cnhi.com. Follow CNHI News Service stories on Twitter at www.twitter.com/cnhifrankfort.