Redistricting in America, Part Four: The West Coast and Southwest

Key Points• Independent redistricting commissions are most common out West.• Democrats currently dominate the House delegations from the West Coast and Southwest, and that is likely to continue.• However, Republicans may be able to make up a little ground, thanks in part to California losing a seat and Oregon gaining […] Read more »

Redistricting in America, Part Three: The Republicans’ Southern Prizes

Key Points• Democrats tried but failed to get a seat at the redistricting table in four large Southern states in the 2018 and 2020 cycles: Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Texas.• The consequences for redistricting are vitally important. It’s easy to imagine Republicans squeezing a half-dozen extra seats out of […] Read more »

Redistricting in America, Part Two: The Dark Red Greater South

Key Points• Republicans dominate redistricting in a number of small-to-medium-sized states in the Deep South and Greater Appalachia.• The GOP also already holds the lion’s share of seats in these states, but they may be able to squeeze a bit more out of them.• Democrats are hoping the courts could […] Read more »

GOP-Controlled State Legislatures Are Taking A Sharp Right Turn, Journalist Says

Atlantic writer Ron Brownstein says Republican-led states are passing voting rights restrictions and other conservative bills as a backlash against Democratic control of Congress and the White House. Fresh Air, NPR The OPINION TODAY email newsletter is a concise daily rundown of significant new poll results and insightful analysis. It’s FREE. Sign up […] Read more »

Redistricting in America: Gerrymandering Potency Raises the Stakes for the 2020s

Key Points• While partisan gerrymandering is nothing new in American politics, it has become easier to find examples of states where gerrymanders are consistently effective and harder to find examples of “dummymanders” — gerrymanders that fail.• Republicans control the drawing of more districts in this round of decennial redistricting than […] Read more »