GOP Looks To Redistrict Itself Back Into Power

[ccharles000]

-This is from July but it is a good read.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/07/07/gop-looks-to-redistrict-i_n_110632.html

For months, a sense of dread has been percolating within Republican circles over potentially massive congressional losses in 2008. Facing the possibility of a more pronounced minority status in the House and more than a couple seats lost in the Senate, the GOP has begun setting its sights on a contingency plan: redistricting.

Republican officials now believe that the party's best hope for retaking seats in Congress may come during gubernatorial elections in 2010. Should the GOP win back the majority of these seats (Democrats currently occupy 28 state capitols), they would be extremely well positioned to influence the redistricting of the political map that will come after the 2010 census.

"The 2010 elections are almost as important or equally important as the elections this year. After redistricting in 2011, the governors are going to have a huge influence in determining the political makeup of this country," said Chris Schrimpf, a spokesman for the Republican Governors Association. "We could feasibly see 25 to 30 congressional seats swing as the result of redistricting. And the state legislatures and governor could determine that swing. Can the National Republican Congressional Committee make a statement like that with a straight face? It would be harder for them."

The suggestion that the elections of 2010 could be as important as those in 2008 may seem like hyperbole or distraction from a Republican Party bracing for big losses. But Democratic officials are also smarting to the premise. One insider, who described the idea as a "pretty sad reflection of the Republican Party's state of affairs," nevertheless conceded that it was on everyone's radar.

[hlthe2b]

1. So, after November, how many governorships do they hold?

[BumRushDaShow]

2. They would hold 21 states.

They lost Missouri to a Democrat.

[ccharles000]

4. I don't know.

The only seat we picked up was Missouri

[ret5hd]

3. Why should we wait till 2010? Didn't the GOP show us in TX that you don't have to wait?

Let's do a pre-emptive redistricting NOW!

[BumRushDaShow]

5. Plus Democrats need to start getting more control in the state legislatures.

[ccharles000]

6. What happened in TX?

[JimDandy]

9. The Dems in TX said "You can't do that"

and took it to court. The court said the Repubs could, so they did.

That's the shortest version.

[patrice]

10. Yes!!! nt

[mitchum]

7. That is always their tactic

[GreenInNC]

8. Getting a new seat in NC

NC will be getting a new seat based on population predictions and I am guessing it will be an urban seat based in Charlotte or Raleigh.

[ccharles000]

11. I live in the 13th.

do you think I should be worried about being pushed back into Cobles district (I live in Greensboro).

[GreenInNC]

13. not sure

not sure how they are going to do it.

[tledford]

15. Not necessarily (I'm in 13 in Greensboro, too).

A new district wouldn't necessarily entail changes to 13. And since we'll have a Democratic governor (and hopefully, majority in the state houses of congress)...

[Trajan]

12. There is a significant fact that stands in their way ....

They lost ground on the state level this last round ....

The places where they did NOT lose ground, they already 'own' .... Hence the only places where they possess the seat of government are places they dont have to redistrict ....

The horse is, more or less, out of the barn ....

[AtomicKitten]

14. It's the only move they've got apparently.