Redistricting draws partisan blood in Colorado.(Chicago Tribune)

Byline: Judith Graham

DENVER _ All semblance of polite interaction between the political parties has disappeared here. Accusations of double-dealing are flying right and left. Public officials are openly charging each other with ruthlessness, hypocrisy and deceit.

What's at fault? The most bitterly contested congressional redistricting in this state's history, and one with national implications.

Colorado is one of two states _ the other is Texas _ where Republicans have tried this year to tilt the balance of power in Congress through unprecedented redistricting maneuvers. They flopped in Texas after 51 Democratic lawmakers fled the state in an extraordinary and ultimately successful bid to derail the Republicans' plans.

But the Republicans succeeded in Colorado, where venom now drips from political discourse, lawsuits are blooming like roses and the Grand Old Party can't hide a sense of "gotcha" triumph.

"This is the proverbial camel's nose under the tent," said Chris Gates, chairman of Colorado's Democratic Party. "If (Republicans) can get away with (what they've done) in Colorado, they'll try to get away with it wherever they can."

What happened, experts say, is an unprecedented decision by a state legislature to redraw its political map between census counts, even though a perfectly legal redistricting plan had been approved by a court.