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 »
A Game of Inches
For the last two years, COVID has upended almost every aspect of our lives. Not since 9/11 has a singular event dominated American life. At the same time, even as Americans gave low marks to then-President Trump for his handling of the pandemic and currently approve of President Biden’s job […] Read more »