E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSIn two weeks, California voters will take part in an intriguing electoral experiment –and while House Democrats are likely to emerge better off from it, the question is how much better off? Will they see a net gain of two or three House seats? Or perhaps a five, six, or seven seat score?
When Californians cast their ballots in the June 5 primary, they’ll be in new congressional districts drawn not by political insiders, as was done in the past (and as is still done in most states), but by a citizen panel.
Map of California's redrawn congressional districts.
For decades, House members and their allies in the state legislature used gerrymandering to protect incumbents of both parties. That changed when voters adopted citizen redistricting in 2008.
As governor, Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger “pushed redistricting reform for the purpose of creating competitive seats” and “Republicans had dreamed that the whole state would become competitive as a result of this process,” said Bruce Cain, professor of political science at the University of California, Berkeley, and an expert on redistricting in the state.
Three other ingredients are being added to that redistricting experiment: the retirement of seven incumbents (four Republicans and three Democrats) from the California delegation, a 28 percent increase in the state’s Latino population since 2000 (although the increase in actual Latino voters doesn’t necessarily match the increase in the overall Latino population), and a new top-two balloting system under which only the leading vote-getters in each congressional primary advance to the November ballot.
Decision 2012 and the myth of the 'Catholic vote'
Only one seat in California changed hands in the last ten years, but according to the latest ratings from the non-partisan Cook Political Report, there are now four Democratic and five GOP House incumbents in competitive districts. At this same point after redistricting in 2001, Cook rated only two California House races as competitive.
“The redistricting definitely favored the Democrats and nobody who has analyzed it thinks differently,” said Cain. “It would be shocking if the Democrats don’t pick up some congressional seats,” he said, but added, “I’d be surprised if the Democrats do better than (a net gain of) four or five.”
“California has been a fairly stable market for congressional races over last decade,” said Dan Conston, the communications director for the Congressional Leadership Fund, a Republican Super PAC that had more than $5 million in cash as of April 15 to spend on House races.
“Under the new maps, the entire field has been shaken up and California will now be one of the key battlegrounds for control of the House for the next decade,” he said.
Roll Call's Nathan Gonzales and Cook Political Report's David Wasserman talk about redistricting and whether Democrats can win back the House.
Conston added, “When you consider the national battlefields, it is clear that if we perform well in California, it is very difficult for Democrats to have any shot of reclaiming the majority.”
Thanks to the Citizens United decision in the U.S. Supreme Court, and other federal court rulings, mega-donors in California and elsewhere can give unlimited money to Super PACs (both Democratic and Republican) bypassing donation caps to candidates or party committees.
Conston said that the number of newly competitive seats in California has “piqued donor interest. That is why we set up a separate fund within the Congressional Leadership Fund where all resources raised go to our California efforts.”
Among the Democrats at whom Republican groups will be aiming their ads are Rep. Lois Capps and Rep. John Garamendi, both of whom will now be competing on less Democratic-leaning turf than their present districts.
Leaders of the Democratic Super PAC, which works on House races, are also making California their focus.
In its fund raising pitch to donors, the House Majority PAC said, “Democrats have the opportunity to go from a 34-19 majority in California to a 41-12 majority – a net gain of seven seats, nearly a third of what we need to retake the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives ... This may well be a once-in-a-generation opportunity.”
But without a competitive presidential or Senate race in California, there will be no pull for Democratic voters from the top of the ticket. “This is particularly important in the Hispanic community – the presidential election will not be focused on communicating with these voters in California,” the fund-raising pitch said.
All the more enticing for Democratic mega-donors to give to the House Majority PAC, which had nearly $1.7 million in cash on hand as of March 31.
Like its Republican rival, it too has a California-specific fund and appeals to home-state pride in its pitch: “For a long time, California donors have dutifully contributed to Democratic efforts and that money has been spent everywhere but California. In 2012, California donors have the opportunity to fund critically important races right here in the Golden State.”
First Thoughts: Obama unloads on Romney
Initially, some Democrats – including President Barack Obama – denounced Super PACs and non-profit groups called 501c4s, which were given a new birth of fundraising freedom under the Citizens United decision.
But “I don’t hear that (objection) as much (from Democratic donors) anymore,” said Ali Lapp, executive director of the House Majority PAC. “More and more, there are a lot of Democratic donors out there that totally understand that if we try to fight this fight with one hand tied behind our back, the country is not going to get any better.”
Lapp said, “The way I think about, there are nine competitive seats in California ... Of those nine, I think we will win five or six – if we’re really lucky, seven. If we won only two, it would not be a happy day; we would have had a horrible election if we won only two of those nine.”
One place where House Majority PAC had been spending money in recent weeks is in the new 26th Congressional District in Ventura County, where four Democrats and one Republican, state Sen. Tony Strickland, are running. So far, Strickland has outraised all other contenders by a wide margin.
Also on the June 5 ballot is a former-Republican-turned-independent, county supervisor Linda Parks, who won a glowing endorsement from The Los Angeles Times which sees her as exactly the type of centrist pragmatist that reformers had hoped citizen-driven redistricting would promote.
If Parks and Strickland are the top two finishers on June 5, Democrats will start the November campaign already one seat behind.
“This is a lean-Democratic district that in November has a better chance of going for a Democrat than for a Republican,” said Lapp.
“But because of the dynamics of the top-two primary system where you have an independent with very high name ID and you have a bunch of Democrats on the ballot, there was a very real chance we could be squandering this opportunity if we didn’t get involved and make sure that voters knew who Julia Brownley is, what she stands for, and that she is the leading Democrat in the race.”
But that race is only one of the places where the House Majority PAC is likely to invest money. “On June 6, we’ll see what the match-ups are and – knock on wood – we’ll get the strong candidates we’re expecting to get from all these districts,” Lapp said.
Leave a Comment:
BWWWAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Bye bye cali.... I didn't know it was even possible for it to get "better" for democrats in Kalifornia.
What?? The two square feet that conservatives control in Kalifornia is too much for you???
I hope California Dems capture every open seat for the 2 election cycles. Perhaps then and only then voters will awaken to the overpowering stench of their failed policies and broken promises, if it weren't obvious enough already. Obama knows he won't need to spend a dime in CA. to get their votes. However be rest assured after the election, if he wins, CA will get billions to temporarily put the books back in the black. Think about his statement to Putin if you doubt this will happen. He knows its a loosing issue to be honest and up front about it now.
California has managed to mismanage their affairs to the point of insolvency, thanks to the leaders that they elect to run things there.
I guess the Democrats want to bring their 'act' to Washington as well.
It's interesting that the State that has the most Congressmen is also the least competent. And what's their answer to the debt crisis - more taxes and more spending.
People tend to get what they vote for.
Now there's a first. After Florida, Texas, Ohio, etc. I though the Republicans had a monopoly on redistricting.
I still see those little "tails" that wiggle their way into bigger districts and that's where the problem lies. There should be a law passed that all districts should be blocked where borders are straight and no sections that look like tails find their way into another section. That's where the corruption exist.
I suppose that you would call the Bush-Cheney-Rumsfeld Axis of Evil a raging success and a model of probity.
Hmmmmm, all of Cali is one big FAILED experiment, and their elected Congressional representatives prove it.
Who else would say "Unemployment benefits creates jobs" ?
Oh yeah.....Mrs. "know it all" Pelosi.
The Democrats pulled the same thing in Colorado. Where ever they have an opportunity they work it for all it's worth and then some. The post above that says we ought to surrender to the leftist liberals has some attraction to it. The problem is if we allow them to destroy the nation and turn it into a UN parking lot we'll have to rebuild it eventually. No matter how it seems, it is easier to fight these carpetbaggers now than it will later on.
Citizen K....., the last time I checked Bush was not president or even governor of CA. for that matter. If there are 2 poster children that exemplify what the US would look like under democrat rule, look no further than CA. and her ugly twin IL. My God how stupid are people in those states that keep electing these idiots. I had a visceral dislike of Arnold, a bonified RINO if there ever was one. I will make it my personal mission to defeat any congressman or senator who agrees to a federal bailout of ANY state, but especially CA. & IL.
You mean better for illegal immigrants and their families. Keep on payin' CA! You're in 16BILLION $ debt, just pay for more of them!
Hey Citizen K....
Bush has been on a golf course for the past three 1/2 years... and meanwhile your guy, obama, has been ruining the country during that time.
Isn't it going to be ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS now that the next 5 presidents have you and obama to blame for all of their shortcomings?? WOOOHOOO!!! I LOVE SET PRECEDENTS!!
What a joke. Like THIS is an important issue for their government to waste time on? I believe unemployment, poor wages, corruption, massive debt ect... FAR outweigh this contribed garbage. I see where their priorities are and it is no wonder they are in the shape they are.
Does it really matter who wins..................the state only has a hundred and forty seven dollars in its treasury to work with.
CivilWarrior Americana,
His guy has also been on a golf course for the last 3.5 years. Might be part of the problem?
Isn't it funny its ok when redistricting benefits the Republicans, but God forbid when the Democrats do it.
I say don't let either party do any part of the redistricting and let a computer do the work where it would be fair, that's what Iowa is doing and it is working great.
Laura... I don't think you recognize the mocking.
Saying Kalifornia needs to be redistricted to help get Democrats elected is EXACTLY like saying Communist China needs to be redistricted to help Communist Chinese get elected..... it's retarded.
Typical Republican behavior... they are always against something when the OTHER party does it, but not when they do.
For instance: they all yell for "cuts, cuts, and more cuts"... then when liberals start talking about cuts to the military or private company subsidies, they are magically against "cuts".
They LOVE Super Pac donations ... until Democrats use one, then they are against it.
They want "smaller government"... until liberals want less government on women or sex, then they are against smaller government and actually want BIGGER government.
Typical.
Just watch, if Texas starts redistricting to gain more GOP seats, you will see CivilWarrior and ROY start typing with one hand because they are so excited.
Given the state of politics, I always find it amusing to see such all-or-nothing sides being taken. Dems and Repubs are equally culpable for many of the ills in our political system. Pointing the fingers, as is done so much on these forums, shows complete dishonesty, or worse, complete ignorance.
What cry babies .. and yet California owns the largest state economy in the world, California could sink 20 states if it decided to buy foreign vs. Iowan. Cali has demonstrated to the nation how to weather a fiscal crisis, Cali continues to be the show place in the world in working through social issues. While California exports fruits and nuts to those begging for them, manufacturing laughs all the way to the bank as anti-Cali idiots deride the state. What Californians understand is that at the expense of derision, it contributes, and contributes a lot, towards the success as a nation, including Iowa. California, Illinois, and New York are the states that support you whiny cry babies. Without us, you would still be playing with slinky's in pond scum wondering why your children drowned.
RedDevPS..... FIRST OF ALL Kalifornia is broke.... Very soon it won't be buying anything from anybody.
SECONDLY... Most fruits and nuts come from the south east sunbelt or are imported from south America and Asia... NOBODY is begging kalifornia for them. The only thing kali's got on anybody else is eggs. Nobody is even producing movies there anymore.
THIRD... if it wasn't for the rest of the country selling Kalifornia electricity at DEEP DISCOUNTS it would LITERALLY be sent back into the dark ages TOMORROW.
FOURTH.... Most of the taxes being paid by hard working citizens are being spent on ENERGY SUBSIDIES (SEE ABOVE) AND illegal aliens within the state by paying for their medical care... AND the fact that Kali is now paying for over 30% of public school students who aren't even here legally... AND the fact that Kali is now paying for college tuition for illegals rather than for it's own citizens...... ETC.. If you think there is anything left for the rest of America you're completely delusional.
HOW DO I KNOW???? I'VE LIVED IN LOS ANGELES FOR OVER 35 YEARS AND HAVE HAD TO PAY FOR IT ALL.
Well, little egg nut teabagger, when was the last IPO our state offered at 108B dollars? Just what we need, another whiny Los Angleo whining about where is mine. KamaKazi California doesn't need your failure to solve electricity needs. Despite your whining and crying, we produce more private electricity than the entire country combined. California is first in energy creation while you burn and pollute the planet. California is first to create clean water while your burn through it like it is your God givens gift. California builds to survive earthquakes, while you whine and beg the state to take care of you. Funny, we have to deal with kicking your butt out of the state, while we have to support our own. You don't belong here, please leave. Perhaps you can take your whiny ass to the state of ???? The one's that complain 24/7 about California.
IndieParty.... I'm not a Republican, I'm a Libertarian American and as far as I'm concerned you should get everything you demand on your social crusade... because by the time you're done the only thing you'll be worried about is not starving to death. That is, if you havn't already by then. Soon your social issues won't matter to anybody. This may be WAAAAAAAAYYYY over your head but some people have already been to this party that is being started and don't mind going to it again just to teach people like you a lesson and hopefully eliminate you from the equation completely.
FUN TIMES!!! I literally cannot wait to have a coke and a smile while watching the coming bonfire. :)
RedDevPS....
-"Well, little egg nut teabagger, when was the last IPO our state offered at 108B dollars? Just what we need, another whiny Los Angleo whining about where is mine."
YOU'RE SOOOO SMART!! How do you manage to walk around with that BIG HUGE BRAIN OF YOURS??? LOL check the stock price... OH... and the airports for people renouncing their US citizenship.
-"Despite your whining and crying, we produce more private electricity than the entire country combined."
BWWWAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH.... hold on, I have to catch my breath... AAAAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
Kalifornia is in the process of shutting all of it's nuclear plants and already banned offshore drilling decades ago. MEANWHILE... it's been buying all of it's electricity from other states... Kalifornia under governer Brown LITERALLY created the term ROLLING BLACKOUTS... genius.
-"California is first in energy creation while you burn and pollute the planet. California is first in energy creation while you burn and pollute the planet."
WOW... your intelligence is astonishing... HEY DO THIS MATH... Kalifornia has more cars per capita than any other state. AGAIN.. we can see you're right about the energy creation by the fact that Kalifornia buys most of it from everybody else.... JUST BRILLIANT LOGIC. IS YOUR MOM PROUD??
-"California is first to create clean water while your burn through it like it is your God givens gift."
WHAT???? I DIDN'T KNOW KALIFORNIA CREATED CLEAN WATER... REALLY??? What would the world have done without Kalifornia and their creation of clean water??
-"California builds to survive earthquakes, while you whine and beg the state to take care of you."
HEY... IS THAT WHY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAD TO REBUILD HALF THE STATE AFTER THE NORTHRIDGE QUAKE WITH FEMA???
-"Funny, we have to deal with kicking your butt out of the state, while we have to support our own. You don't belong here, please leave. Perhaps you can take your whiny ass to the state of ???? The one's that complain 24/7 about California."
HMMMM... That's sound policy... Isn't it going to be GREAT when all of the taxpayers like myself leave the state??? I can assure you they'll all love watching you starve. It's going to be especially entertaining watching you watch your children starve :) :) :) :)
ENJOY YOUR CANNIBALISM!!!
Another reason, the Montana hills were made especially for the ilk of "I don't wanna play". Please, enjoy the 30 year old cans of Spaghettio's, and when emerging from the cellar, tell us please, how life was underground. Nothing like a "Blast from the Past" scenario. I can only image the Red Scare caused a deep dig, and digging is what has happened since. Wouldn't it be great if someone actually contributed to continuing society vs. hiding it underground. Bonfire, indeed - another religious extremist hoping God will lend a hand.
RedDevPS.. Dude.. you've got nothing. Just give it up because I can literally take you apart.
At this point you're making yourself look extraordinarily foolish.
Short and simple for the Kalifornian living in California.
Isn't, sorry, contractions are a problem, is not happening.
Are you honestly going to lie on this one. Where did the rolling black out originate from. That would be called your loving honey, Enron. You know, Ken I wanna get DaLayed in a good way.
Ok. She is - she knows as well that California buys the most electric cars per captia that the entire nation.
Let's see .. not going to help you there. California clean drinking water initiatives are well documented and include desalination plants, water reclamation plants and the like. Of course, water wasters wouldn't understand the concept.
Half the state, really. They rebuilt 3 freeways, and that is half the state? Reactionary is the best term to describe the disillusionment.
It will be great, because we will be rid of the blood sucking tax payers that want 5 bucks back for every buck they pay. The only thing California needs to survive is kicking bottom feeders out of the state.
LOL!!! You're correct, sir!!! It's going to be great.
Other than that... you still have nothing. :)
Ah but, we will still have something. You living in a bomb shelter will not have your polluting crap pushing over our mountains. Our air will be cleaner, vegetables taste better, water clearer, and the grapes that produce wine purer. You call that nothing, I call that something. Los Angeles feels it as well, they are producing local gardens, following the cities of New York and Chicago by building green roof tops, and most worthy, sustainable and renewable food and energy. Hats off to Los Angeles, I love ya .. a sad bow to anti-Kalifornians, love ya, don't wanna know ya.
My Question...
How many of the the New Districts get to vote in both National Elections (Mexico and America)
@mr. PheanNiques:
Well now not-cute, a baby face thrown up in the middle a baby question. Does anyone know or recognize this baby? While a cute kid, this should never be done by an adult. It never ceases to amaze me how the right will hide behind their children. My question .. how can you display a child's face that is obviously not your child's face. You must be a molester, and I will report it as such. Anyone, please help me to remove this predatory animal from displaying this picture. This child does not deserve this type of display.
??? I think your meds may be wearing off???...she will be 2 in August
Ok time for me to pipe in and be Frank 8( We are so F'd here in California and they want to us to agree come this November to raise taxes. I pray there is not that many stupid people in my state to actually raise our taxes heh.
LOL This state has so many communists destroying our state it's pathetic 8( one of the worst State Senators is Leland Yee this Sonafbitch loves to waste my tax money on wiping his ass with our Constitution 8(
Twinkies maker warns 900 in Ca of layoffs most hardest his is 391 in South LA. This is something I noticed just in the last 10 years 8( companies leaving in droves.
Hm, citizen redistricting sounds interesting.
I have to agree, citizens while still having their parties best interest in mind, will still be thinking about their county and town. Hopefully this will spread to other states, since politicians on both sides draw up districts with only their future political gain in mind..
I suspect that you are so naive as to believe the citizen committee representatives had no political ties. Or disingenuous in your comment. I'd like to see a redistricting group based on majority rule in Colorado rather than the state Senate that was put in place by the "Gang of Four" multimillionaire liberals.
Ruken "Hm, citizen redistricting sounds interesting."
Yes, especially when the 'citizens' doing the redistricting are virtually all appointed by Democrats.
ROY WILSON-336103 "Ruken "Hm, citizen redistricting sounds interesting."
I stand corrected - After checking, there 5 Democrats, 5 Republicans and 4 Independents.
It sounds fair to me.
Taking redistricting out of the hands of those that it directly benefits only makes sense.
Well Roy, don't worry about it because it's not the first time you've been wrong and I bet it won't be the last.
gerrymandering is unconstitutional, how can districts change shape so often even with no pop increase? (some districts go though more than one county and several towns/cities not related to each other in anyway other than being in same state) only to suit someones political power. both parties have used gerrymandering for a very long time and that is how they gain their power over us and each other. there is nothing in the constitution that allows representatives to shape and re-shape at whim the district(s) they want to control through party.
Gerrymandering may be wrong, but it isn't un-Constitutional, it has been the normal way of things since the First Congress. The Constitution is silent on means of redistricting; it is up to each state. I believe districts should be compact and not drawn to protect any seats. However, there are reasons for some departure from compactness, especially natural boundaries(rivers, mountains, even freeways.) They just shouldn't get out of hand.
@ROY WILSON-336103 - You have no idea how much it restores my faith in people to see someone correct themselves once they see the facts. And in a news comment section no less. Perhaps I'm setting the bar too low, but still, that made my day.
The nonpartisan panel was tasked with creating a district map that is fairer and more competitive. The analysis of the resulting map is that it features far more competitive districts than the old one. And people think that is gerrymandering? If so, I'm afraid you don't know what gerrymandering is.
Contrast this with Arizona, which had a similar commission tasked with creating more competitive districts. When they did so, Jan "rabid attack dog" Brewer and Republicans in the state legislature trumped up phony charges to try to stop it.
How much better off will the Democrats be? How about "how much better off will the US citizens and all citizens be?" Way to go MSNBC. Just totally disregard the legitimacy and needs of the other 2/3 of the nation.
Last I checked, 17% described themselves as a liberal and liberals have overrun the Democratic party. 83% of the country deserves a voice and the Democrats need to reclaim their party.
Hopefully, this will encourage moderate candidates. When primaries are partisan, candidates tend to be selected by the extreme wing of their party, which is the only group that comes out in large numbers for primaries. This explains much of the problem we have in Washington today.
Most likely the primary voters will still pick the most left- and right-leaning candidates so that there will be less chance of a moderate being in the general election.
Ain't much anybody can do for California, the dems have destroyed it.
This is a new approach to avoid gerrymandering wherein the politicians chose the voters instead of the voters choosing the politicians.
One, get rid of superpacs.
Two, no more redistricting by any side. Just make districts rough squares everywhere and let the chips fall where they may.
Trickle up has not been working there.
The re-districting came about because of minorities' claim of lack of representation. The gerrymandering has become just a way to rig the elections for the party in office at a particular time.
The democrats have destroyed California.
They have "Terminated" the Golden State !
Wasn't the Governator a 'R'?
Ruken - He was an "H" (Hollywood).
Cali has been a disaster since the 80's. I really do not know what will help it.
@Ruken --- Yes, Arnold was an R. The R stands for rhino. If he was a true Republican Kalifornians would never have voted him in.
Actually, California has been a mess ever since Proposition 13, which made it pretty close to impossible to raise property taxes.
Their widespread use of ballot initiatives is also a perfect example of what happens when you give the public too much input on policy: incoherence and self interest run amuck.
Michael, you sound like the USSR to me. Can't have any of that dumb ole citizen input on policy.
That state really needs to be chopped up into three states, waaaaay too many people for one state government, not to mention the drastic demographic between northern, southern (coastal) and inland cali.
Demographics shouldn't determine a state, but I agree the economic size is way too large for a single state.
Breaking up California has been proposed before, but was never feasible and supported from both inside and out. The closest it came to happening was the first time, when the state was fine with it and sent the necessary documents to Congress. But that was 1859 and nobody in Congress was interested in creating a new "southern" state.
In modern times, we've got all sorts of state-owned infrastructure (aqueducts and such) linking the South to the Central Valley and nobody has a feasible plan to break those apart. Meanwhile the Valley can't really be feasibly separated from the North either, so... there it is.
Believe me, a lot of Californians believe the state should be divided too. It will never happen due to water issues. Southern California will survive without Northern California as much of So Cal's water comes from No Cal, and of course the Colorado River.
Oops... meant to say So Cal will NOT survive without No Cal water. :)
Lines have been drawn for years with a state name picked out to separate it north and south
now there is this religious extremist running, craig huey. he is a danger to california and all of america. he would gladly turn our country into a religious state. the constitution is meaningless to him if it conflicts with the bible. google the huey letter to see who he is. he accused thiose residents of rolling hills estates against a mega church in our small community in league with satan. he is not the person to make decisions for a state or countryt with a separation of church and state
So he is going to break what's already broke? Give it up. Try something else. California is ruined.
I was hoping they were going to get rid of some of the more offensive gerrymandering. Zoom in and look at the 46_th district. It spans two counties, it has two large blocks which are connected by a small sliver.
51st is like that too... the southern suburbs of San Diego and all of Imperial County... while they are technically connected, you can't drive from one end of that district to the other without either taking a LOT of back roads or passing through another district.
The map above is of the old districts formed after the 2000 census not the newest ones that will be used this fall. The LA Times has a web site where you can do side-by-side comparisons. The 51st looks about the same whereas the old 46th is now split up as parts of three newly revised districts. And the for anyone who thinks this process was all political appointees and smoke and mirrors I urge you to research the exhaustive lengths the state went to to select the Commission from the 30,000 odd Californians who applied to be on it and their work with the bazillion public hearings they held.
What an assinine question. They have been in chare of everything for years and look at the result!
Even when the Gybernator was in office they blocked every move he made to slow the decline so he gave up and just rode it out.
Make your excuses democlowns - look at the results of your good work!
The better question would be 'how much more completely screwed can the taxpayers in Cali be'?
,'-D
Dumbassocrats have ruined Cali, spare me the Ahnold crap, he was no conservative and sucked on the taxpayer teet as much as any liberal.
Not at all: It's Proposition 13, all the way.
Anyway, how ruined can the home of Silicon Valley and Hollywood be? California has a GDP the size of Italy's and has a poverty level just slightly above the national average (13.2%/12.6%). You want to talk about ruination, look to Mississippi (Bangladesh/20.1%). The Rethugs run the show there, and have for decades.
Proposition 13 is the only reason most Californians still are in a house. The democrats would have raised the property taxes 10% a year every year. Need some cash to support the massive payouts to the state retirement? Lets just raise the property tax.
The democrats don't need a single republican in CA. All our problems are because of the tax and spend crowd.
Dems are popular here because the state if full of welfare grabbing foreigners!
Ok, I looked it up. Someone lied to you.
Elected in 1991, Mississippi's governor Kirk Fordice was the first Republican governor since Reconstruction. But a Democrat soon regained the office: David Ronald Musgrove was elected governor in 1999. Following the 2002 elections, the state's two US senators were Republicans Trent Lott and Thad Cochran. Lott became majority leader of the Senate in 1996 following the departure of Bob Dole (R-Kansas); he stepped down from that post in December 2002 following controversy over remarks he made praising former South Carolina Senator Strom Thurmond's 1948 segregationist campaign for the presidency . All five of Mississippi's US representatives were Democrats until the 1994 midterm elections when Republican Roger Wicker won a House seat that had been in Democratic hands since Reconstruction. Following the 2002 elections, the House delegation comprised two Democrats and two Republicans. Before November 2003 elections, the state senate comprised 33 Democrats, 18 Republicans, and one vacancy; the state house had 86 Democrats, 35 Republicans, and three Independents.
source: http://www.city-data.com/states/Mississippi-Political-parties.html
The state will be better off if as many as possible are not re-elected. They have bankrupted the state.
Um... this is the districts for the House seats... who are sent to DC, not Sacramento, and have not had any direct involvement in the state government.
Blanket statement......still applies. The less....the better......state or national.
Once the #4 ecomonmy on the planet. Now it's just known as Northern Mexico. I love my state and hate the leaders. They really ran this place into the dumper. Who ever thought "The Govenator" had a chance was foolish. You should spend a day watching Sacramento at work. It's full of absolute scumbags that have no clear substance to be there other than a (D) next to their name a bunch of really really uneducated and unwise it's crazy. This place can't print it's own cash but they sure think they can. The whole state is going to be broke in two years and a refugee camp within 20 years.
Wow, what a genius. Calif. is 1200% demonrat and they redistrict to make it 2000% demonrat! They cannot become more economically suicidal, except Obama will bail them out, and that is what they are counting on. California is greece, and should be renamed Califleece.
We still have bumper stickers that read - Don't Californiate Oregon.
The stickers started 40 years ago but unfortunately didn't work, Californians came here anyhow and now Oregon has become the "more northern" part of Mexico.
Sigh, it used to be peaceful here.
We did the same in Colorado, and they did just that: californicated Colorado. The California idiots bring their trash attitudes, and drug society, steal, and otherwise raise taxes and trash the place out, and then complain about the environment. The worst thing that can happen to you here is people from Calif. move in, within 6 months the place looks like a low class trailer park.
If you think white trash is someone from California you are not only ignorant but wrong. I have seen your dumps in Oregon, and I have seen some major crud in Colorado. What hurt California is the Dems and there willingness to allow people to live here for free, they took jobs and are feeding off every hard working individual in this state. Now you two stupid's who know nothing and are not even worthy of the name Red Neck should watch out, because when the money runs out here do you think these freeloaders are going back home, nope they will be taking your jobs in Oregon, Arizona, Utah, and Colorado. Good luck loosers, I can't wait for this State just to get it over with and go broke, there are still alot of hard working smart people here just doing there time making money then we will take the money and run and leave it to the dumb dems to relish in there state of disrepair.
Whiner - we agree, the California Dems crawled out and moved to Oregon, Colorado and other places. So what is your point?
Right...........Wing............Idiots insisted on citizen's control of redistricting. They got it.
An old saying..........."be careful what..........." Oh, never mind
LOL. Hire a Republican. They're fun to watch!
You are acting as if I voted... LOL It didn't take my vote to distroy this place. Just yours.
hockeygrin,
Or re-elect a Govenor that has already broke the State once! Don't forget Jerry Brown taught Grey Davis everthing he knew about Bankrupting a state. Maybe when Jery's done we can re-elect Gray!
Toothlessgrin> After all we makers leave, how are you going to get your welfare check?
I for one am taking my business out of California.
There is not much in California that is not paid and bought for by the Democrats. If Nancy Pelosi can stay in office, well that says it all. I hope thay can pay down that huge State debt they have without the help of the Federal Government. If they keep raising the taxes in California the illegals will have to start actually paying for things. That would be nice.
I agree. Two dynamics has brought California to its knees these past couple of decades. One, major businesses have and continue to relocate away from the high cost of doing business there. Two, the illegals are ruining them. Not the legal immigrants, the illegal immigrants.
California equals demonrat trash.
If Texas can do it for Republicans why can't California do it for Democrats again?
Yes but then why is the economy in Texas GROWING while California collapsing? Simple: Democrat economic theology kills an economy. So we try liberal thinking in California, Michigan, and New York and they become worse. So the solution: Obama tries the same failed policies on a national level and SURPRISE SURPRISE SURPRISE the economy is doing awful 3+ years after Obama took office. You would think liberals would FINALLY figure out their policies don't work - but you can't teach an old dog new tricks. Yes maybe the NEXT time you try liberal policies it just MIGHT work!! Not...............
So your stance, Pro, is that since Democratic policies lead to debt, supposedly, that Democratic states should be denied the right to redistrict electoral maps while Republican states should still be allowed to?
Question Geowil: just when did the people in Texas have a control over the gerrymandering strategies in Texas? Right now, there are sections of Texas whose citizens have been for all intents and purposes practically disenfranchised because of Republican maniipulation of voter districts around that state!
Geowil, as a citizen of Texas, you should be all for this as it would allow the people rather than the power brokers in a state capitol to determine the redistricting policies for your state or any other state!
RB when I name a state or any country or any party I am talking about the politicians not the people unless explicitly stated. Also I am from Arizona not Texas.
The more Democrats the better!
Obama- Biden 2012
Yup, so they can do to the U.S. what the Democrats have done to California. Like that's smart. :(
Vote for America,Vote for a change!
Now THERE'S a surprise!! Well the Democrats have ruined California anyway - so what difference is a few more idiots going to do................
California is the poster child of what Democrats can do to the greatest state in the union. Manufacturing, Oil, Vacation Hot Spot, Farming, Huge international harbors, Inovation, Lumber, Gold, 300 days of perfect weather and they can't even make ends meet. If you don't think a solid span of Democrats in charge won't mess this whole country up you are Retarded. If Demcrat was the way to go??? They have been running this joint unoposed for 30 years and according to you Kool Aid drinkers this place should be heaven on earth for all it's people.... But I'm telling you as a life long citizen.... IT"S NOT WORKING! We have the most intelligent and wealthy people right here in plenty and the Democrats have distroyed it. Your progressive experiment is right here and IT'S NOT WORKING.
You hit the nail on the head! I too am a life long Californian & business owner that has watched this state crumble
Brian, and the Obama administration will not rest until the rest of the country is in the same dire straights as California. I am voting for the American in November.
Let's put a target on Darrell Issa's district! Add in some nice housing projects about 100 miles away!!!!!!
This is a landmark idea, one which has been long time in coming and something which should be taken up and become the standard for all redistricting in every state in the country!
For too long, insiders of either party have determined what kind of "gerrymandering" was best for their state, a process which almost always has led to the entrenched powers of a state becoming even more entrenched. By making this change, California has now put that power where it rightfully belongs, into the hands of the people, and out of those of that small coterie of special interest groups whose only aim has been to feather there own nests and let the rest of the public be damned!
We already have one-party system running the state. Must it be set in stone?