Welcome to this week’s edition of REDMAP Rundown, a synopsis of redistricting news brought to you by the RSLC’s REDistricting MAjority Project (REDMAP).  This weekly update gives you the latest on what those in the Beltway, and across the country, are saying about the impending reapportionment and redistricting process.

In this week’s REDMAP Rundown: Obama’s gift to the GOP, Dems losing sleep over Ohio, Conspicuous losses, Pennsylvania battle is on and Hurricanes in North Carolina.

Kim Strassel opines in the Wall Street Journal, “Come Nov. 3, the bigger criticism may be the extent to which the White House has cost Democrats their grip on the electoral map—not just this cycle but for some time to come. … Mr. Obama’s other gift to Democrats is that he’s managed all of this in a year ending with ‘0.’ We just had a census. Come 2011, state legislatures and governors will use the results to redraw congressional lines. The party that controls the state is able to draw the lines in ways that benefits its side for the next 10 years.  And as big as the GOP revival is looking nationally, it’s looking even bigger from a state level. Republicans are expected to finish this election with between 30 and 36 of the governorships. The Republican State Leadership Committee, which backs state legislative candidates, is already claiming victory in six state chambers and estimates that another 11 are in play.  More important is where these gains take place—Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania, for starters. These are states expected to lose House seats because of the census, and the GOP may control the cutting. Or, consider this: Of the 75 most competitive House districts, 35 are in areas where Republicans feel confident they will take control of a legislative chamber. The GOP could be redrawing the map in its favor for nearly half the nation’s swing districts.”

Eleanor Clift writes in Politics Daily that state legislative races are “hugely important, and the political professionals are working these races like crazy, with Republicans pouring money into them and Democrats ringing the alarm bell that their party better wake up or risk being the minority in Washington for a decade.  ‘Losing a few seats in Massachusetts won’t cost us any sleep,’ says Tom Bonier with NEC Services, a group that advises Democrats on redistricting. But losing seats in Ohio, where Democrats have a 53-to-46 edge over Republicans, could cost Democrats three or four House seats next time around.  After gaining state legislative seats in the ’04, ’06 and ’08 elections, the Democrats are looking at a scenario where these gains could be swept away in the one election that particularly matters, the one that creates the power grid for redistricting.”

“A new study has blue states seeing red,” according to the American Spectator.  “Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania will likely each lose a congressional seat in redistricting. New York and Ohio should lose two seats. … Conspicuously, states that voted for Barack Obama in 2008 are projected to lose eleven of those twelve subtracted seats. Conspicuously, states that voted for John McCain are expected to gain ten of the twelve new seats. Should Election Data Services, Inc.’s numbers hold up, Texas would gain four seats, Florida would add two, and Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, South Carolina, Utah, and Washington would each claim a new seat.  Red states are gaining political clout at the expense of blue states. This makes the electoral map an even more elusive puzzle for President Obama to solve in 2012.”

“The battle for control of the state House of Representatives is on” in Pennsylvania, reports The Patriot-News.  “Republicans see nothing standing in the way of them regaining the majority after four years of Democratic control. … House Democratic campaign operatives … want a seat at the table next year when the Legislature and governor tackle the once-in-a-decade task of redrawing congressional district boundaries.  Republicans are virtually assured that they have a say in that process. The GOP holds a 10-seat advantage in the 50-member state Senate. … Rep. Dave Reed, chairman of the House Republican Campaign Committee, expressed optimism that Election Day will end on a happy note for the GOP.  ‘We feel very good about where we’re at,’ said Reed, R-Indiana County. ‘Our incumbents are very strong across the board. Certainly, a couple of them will be targeted along the way just as there will be a number of Democratic incumbents targeted. But we feel overall we’re going to be back in the majority.’”

“No hurricanes for North Carolina so far this year. But we know one storm that is coming to our state this fall. In fact, we know the exact date: Nov. 2.”  UNC-TV’s D.G. Martin writes, “the early political hurricane-watch reporters are predicting it could be a Category 5 storm, blowing away everything in its path.  North Carolina Republican leaders are drooling at the prospect of taking charge of both houses of the legislature and overseeing the post-census redistricting of every congressional and state legislative seat.  Some North Carolina Democrats are walking around in a daze, shell-shocked at the turn in public opinion from the time of the great Democratic victories of two years ago.”

The RSLC is the only national organization whose mission is to elect down ballot state-level Republican office-holders. To sign up for the REDMAP Rundown, or for more information or media inquiries, please contact Adam Temple at 571.480.4891.