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Posts Tagged ‘tom reynolds’

Harlem, Watts face uncertain future
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Thursday, 5 August 2010 07:27

From Politico

“There are no givens. Anything can happen” in redistricting, said former Rep. Tom Reynolds (R-N.Y.), who played a major role in his home state’s 2002 redistricting and now chairs REDMAP, the Republican State Leadership Committee’s Redistricting Majority Project.

REDMAP hopes to spend $20 million this fall in state legislative races to try to secure GOP majorities in battleground states — which would allow Republicans to draw congressional districts and could affect seats in states such as Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas depending partly on the outcome of this year’s congressional elections. The New York Senate, which Democrats now control 32 to 30, is a prime Reynolds target — with several seats in play that are currently held by each party.
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Although the redistricting impact is unpredictable, it’s noteworthy that the New York Senate’s top two Democratic leaders — Malcolm Smith and John Sampson — are African-Americans. “A Republican Senate would be very different,” said Reynolds, and it might be more solicitous of Hispanic interests in Rangel’s district and elsewhere.

Although Republican voters will have little say in the outcome of districts like those of Rangel and Waters — which are heavily Democratic — redistricting in one part of a state can affect the map-drawing in another part. “We tell our members to get to know your state legislators because they are the ones who control redistricting,” said Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-Ga.), vice chairman of redistricting for the National Republican Congressional Committee.

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Last Updated on Thursday, 5 August 2010 07:27
State House Races: Where All The Marbles Are
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Monday, 5 April 2010 09:29

Via Wall Street Journal:

The Republican party’s main campaign group focusing on statehouses, the Republican State Leadership Committee, is aiming to raise $40 million this year, an effort led by Edward Gillespie, the former party chairman and adviser to President George W. Bush. The Democrats’ main group has announced a $20 million campaign. Together, those groups and the governors’ associations are planning to spend more than $170 million on the elections this year. That is about 70 percent more than they spent in 2006, the last time a similarly large number of governors’ races were on the ballot.

Separately, labor unions say they will devote an increasing amount of resources to state-level races, partly because governors are making hard layoff decisions that concern unionized state workers. But redistricting is another reason for labor’s focus on the states.

“That’s where all the marbles are,” said Larry Scanlon, the political director for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. The union has donated $2.3 million to the Democratic Governors Association, becoming the largest contributor to the group in the current election cycle.

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Last Updated on Monday, 5 April 2010 09:29
Redistricting Getting More and More Attention in the States
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Monday, 5 April 2010 09:17

From Kathy Kiely at USA Today:

Democrats and Republicans are planning to pour at least $20 million each into November’s state legislative races that could determine which party controls about two dozen state legislative chambers. And in a case that could go to the Supreme Court, the Republican National Committee is arguing it should be able to add to the pot.

The reason for all the activity: In all but six states, legislatures have a hand in redrawing congressional boundaries after each Census — supposedly to account for population shifts, but usually with a political eye.

That’s why both parties are investing in races for state House and Senate.

“If you focus some resources you can have an impact on congressional elections for a decade,” says Ed Gillespie, a former national Republican Party chairman and co-chair of the party’s effort to win state legislatures.

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Last Updated on Monday, 5 April 2010 09:17
Parties Ramping Up For Redistricting
Written by admin
Monday, 29 March 2010 08:05

From Nathan Gonzales over at CQ Politics:

As Democrats ramp up, Republicans are finally catching up with the formation of a new group that features some high-powered GOP players. Last month, the Republican State Leadership Committee, led by former Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie, launched its REDistricting MAjority Project (REDMAP).

“We want to make sure Republican legislators have pens in their hands,” former Rep. Thomas M. Reynolds of New York, who served as National Republican Congressional Committee chairman, told Roll Call. Reynolds and others are quick to point out that the redistricting process starts with controlling as many legislative chambers as possible.

Reynolds is vice chairman of the RSLC and heading up REDMAP, which is organized as a 527 and has a budget of $20 million for non-federal races this November. Even if the FEC allows members to raise money for the trust, current members still could not get involved with a 527 such as REDMAP or Foundation for the Future.

REDMAP’s formation relieves some tension on the Republican side. Traditionally, the RNC has coordinated the GOP’s redistricting effort, relying heavily on soft money. In the aftermath of the campaign overhaullaw, the party was forced to completely restructure its redistricting effort. The RNC will play more of an advisory and educational role this time around.

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Last Updated on Monday, 29 March 2010 08:05
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