- MENU
- HOME
- SEARCH
- WORLD
- MAIN
- AFRICA
- ASIA
- BALKANS
- EUROPE
- LATIN AMERICA
- MIDDLE EAST
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Argentina
- Australia
- Austria
- Benelux
- Brazil
- Canada
- China
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- India
- Indonesia
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Japan
- Korea
- Mexico
- New Zealand
- Pakistan
- Philippines
- Poland
- Russia
- South Africa
- Spain
- Taiwan
- Turkey
- USA
- BUSINESS
- WEALTH
- STOCKS
- TECH
- HEALTH
- LIFESTYLE
- ENTERTAINMENT
- SPORTS
- RSS
- iHaveNet.com: Politics
by Peter Roff
Most political forecasters are now looking seriously at the possibility that Republicans will win back control of
By law, the results of the 2010 census will lead to a reshuffling of the seats in the
Here's why: The new census data will be used to reallocate the seats in the House to match population changes over the last decade, a process called reapportionment. Each state's congressional district lines will also be redrawn, called redistricting. In most cases, the ability to control that process in a particular state is the privilege of the majority. That's why party committees, allied organizations, and interest groups sink millions of dollars into these fights to win key governorships and control of state legislative chambers. If one party can gain control of all the pens in a big state like Pennsylvania or Ohio, it gets to draw the lines. And it can be ruthless. After the 1980 census, California Democrats -- led by the late Rep. Phil Burton -- redrew the Golden State's House districts, plunging the
Thanks to demographic trends, the
The redistricting that followed the 1990 census produced a shift of as many as 30 seats from the Democrats to the
Republicans, who will most likely keep presiding over the governorship and the legislature in Texas, should be able to capitalize there. The same is true in Utah, for example, where the congressional delegation is split 2 to 1 in favor of the Republicans. The addition of one seat, plus the redrawing of the existing lines, could produce an all-
Conversely, the states expected to lose seats -- Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Louisiana (on track to drop one each), and Ohio (projected to drop two) -- mostly trend Democratic. Even in those states, Republicans face only minimal potential problems. In New York, for example, it's a good bet that the Democrats will nab complete control of the process for the first time in decades, thanks to the
If those stakes aren't high enough, remember that reapportionment will even impact the next presidential election: Votes in the
Available at Amazon.com:
The Virtues of Mendacity: On Lying in Politics
Bush on the Home Front: Domestic Policy Triumphs and Setbacks
The Political Fix: Changing the Game of American Democracy, from the Grassroots to the White House
AMERICAN POLITICS
WORLD | AFRICA | ASIA | EUROPE | LATIN AMERICA | MIDDLE EAST | UNITED STATES | ECONOMICS | EDUCATION | ENVIRONMENT | FOREIGN POLICY | POLITICS
Mapping a New GOP Majority | Politics
© Tribune Media Services