Welcome to this week’s edition of “Redistricting Rundown,” a synopsis of redistricting news brought to you by the RSLC’s Redistricting Majority Project (REDMAP). For those that are new, this weekly email 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” former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich weighs in, Republicans get organized, and we get a primer on Florida.
Last week, Newt Gingrich said “that the GOP could gain as many as 25 or 30 House seats through redistricting,” reports The Hill. ‘If we win these seats, it could be worth as many as 25 or 30 seats in redistricting,’ Gingrich said at a Q-and-A session at the Southern Republican Leadership Conference.”
The Wall Street Journal’s Kim Strassel goes in-depth on the GOP organization efforts this time around in a column entitled, “The Right Ramps Up.” Ed Gillespie “took over the Republican State Leadership Committee, which exists to elect Republicans at the state level. … Strategy is driving these conservative creations, but they’ve also arrived in an environment rich with opportunity.”
“While much of Washington is obsessed with the effect of health care reform on the midterm elections, a bigger factor in the future makeup of the House may be the three dozen gubernatorial races on the ballot in November,” Politico reports. “The Republicans have been building a war chest and recruiting a team of insider all-stars. … The Republican State Leadership Committee, which is dedicated to winning legislative seats, is being spearheaded by former Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie.”
In the states, Florida columnist, Bill Rufty, writes, “U.S. Census Bureau officials and local governments are still trying to get a good count and strong response to the 2010 decennial census, but state lawmakers already are planning what to do with those results when they are tallied and reported a year from now. … With 76 Republicans and 44 Democrats currently in the Florida House, it seems unlikely the Democratic Party will have much of an effect on redistricting next year. In the Florida Senate, there currently are 26 Republicans and 14 Democrats.
Florida Republicans’ jobs got a little easier with the special election victory by Matt Gaetz for state house. “Gaetz defeated Democrat Jan Fernald. … In a release late Tuesday the Republican State Leadership Committee said Gaetz’ election was the 51st GOP win in a special election since the 2008 election, and Republican Party Chairman John Thrasher in a separate statement welcomed Gaetz to the Legislature.”
“The Illinois Senate Wednesday narrowly passed a constitutional amendment to change the way the state draws boundaries for legislative districts.” And the Daily Comet notes, “In the next redistricting, Louisiana could lose one of its seven members of the U.S. House of Representatives.”
CQPolitics.com’s Greg Giroux went on the radio in Missouri to discuss how “census figures could shake up Missouri’s political scene.” Specifically, he “talked about the possibilities for St. Louis area congressional districts … Missouri could lose a U.S. House seat altogether if census numbers fall short. Giroux says that means tough choices for the state’s leaders who would have to merge districts. Plus tough choices for voters, ‘that would essentially force two incumbents to run against one another.’”
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