a what if redistricting thread

[freepcrusher]

this is a thread that does redistricting using the wyoming rule. What one does here is they divide the state of the population by 493,782 (2000 population of Wyoming). This is a thread that acts as a "What If" had the wyoming rule been implemented for the 2002 elections.

Just to piss off feeblepizza, I'll start with Indiana, which now has 12 districts.




Green District is District 1. This would be Pete Visclosky’s district. Historically the most democratic district in the state, it hasn’t elected a republican to office since 1928. This district is basically an extension of Chicago. 62 percent white, 24 percent black, 12 percent Hispanic, 1 percent Asian, 1 percent other district.

Red District is District 2. This would be Count Chocula’s district. Takes in some other Great Lakes areas of the Michiana area as well as South Bend. An 85% white district that he would have been okay in the first two years, but would eventually have been unseated.

Light blue district is District 3. This would be Mark Souder’s district. Basically takes in the northern part of the state that isn’t on Lake Michigan. Not having the lake apparently makes the place a lot more republican. He would have been fine in this 86 percent white district.

Silver district is District 4. This is Steve Buyer’s district. Takes in Ultra republican areas like Elkhart and Kosciusko County and Purdue is removed from this district. He would have been safe in this district even if he got corrupt. This district is 90 percent white.

Pink District is District 5. Basically takes in the northern Indianapolis suburbs (quite possibly the most republican suburbs of any big city) as well as some rural areas on Highway 31. Watermelon Dan would be fine in this 91 percent white district.

Purple district is District 6. This changes from basically an eastern Indiana district to a southern Indiana district. Southern Indiana has long had a democratic history due to the fact that many people living there were old school southern democrats. What I did was basically take in all the areas of Southern Indiana where the democratic tradition was weakest. This district is 94 percent white. Mike Pence would have defeated Baron Hill in this district.

Light blue district is District 10. This takes in central and southern areas of Marion County. It also takes in a good deal of Johnson county which is a very republican county, making the district more of a toss-up district. Julia Carson would have represented this district, but I’m not sure an 83 percent white district would be comfortable in electing a black liberal woman. If she had been unseated, I could have seen it swing back to the democrats in 06.

Dark blue district is District 8. Takes in areas of southern Indiana that still have a Dixiecrat tradition like Bloomington or Evansville. A moderate democrat like Brad Ellsworth would have won this 93 percent white district.

Yellow district is District 7. Takes in Terre Haute, snakes up to Lafayette and then takes in some urban areas in Indianapolis. This would be John Hostettler’s district, although he probably would have been unseated in 2006.

Dark blue district is District 9. This takes in black areas of Indianapolis as well as Anderson and the college town of Muncie. A 75 percent white, 21 percent black district. I think someone from the legislature would have ran here. A lean dem district.

Light green District is District 12. Basically takes in eastern Indiana and a lot of area that is now in CD 6. This is a historically republican district and a mirror image of western Ohio. A republican legislator would be safe in this 96 percent white district

Light purple district is District 11 and takes in some non-industrial areas of Southwest Indiana. A republican would probably have won here and most likely would have been safe. At 97 percent white, this is quite possibly the whitest in the country.

[freepcrusher]

seriously no thoughts or comments on this? I worked pretty hard on it.

[MyRescueKittehRocks]

Burton would have the ninth (depending on where his home precinct is).
 The fifth (mine) would be likely a hardcore Tea Partier from the state house (Vanatter, Buck)today. It also plays into my split Indy plan.

[tmthforu94]

I'd be in the 11th, which looks like it'd be one of the most Republican districts in the nation, let alone Indiana. I don't think one county in this district voted for Barack Obama in 2008, and many still voted for McCain with over 60%. Kristi Risk would likely be my Congresswoman. When she narrowly lost in the primary in 2010 to Larry Buchson, she carried many of the counties in this district, and won two (Clay and Owen, Clay being my county) with over 50% in an 8-way primary.

[dpmapper]

seriously no thoughts or comments on this? I worked pretty hard on it.

I don't doubt that, but why are you surprised?  You're off in never-never land assuming that the Wyoming rule exists *and* that the Republican Indiana House, Senate, and Governor decide for some reason that they'd like to make a Democratic gerrymander.  As with your Texas maps, what's the point? 

[freepcrusher]

how is this a democratic gerrymander? Except for District 7, none of the districts are too grotesque looking. Besides, this map accomplishes what the indiana republicans have always wanted to do: split Marion County (Indianapolis) into four pieces.

[freepcrusher]

no more questions about Indiana? All right, on to Arizona.




First picture is of Phoenix Area.
Dark purple district would be District 2. Same as old CD 4, but contracts in size. A 57 percent Hispanic district and a safe democrat district for Pastor.

District 8 is in yellow. Takes in Ahwatukee, Tempe, and the Hispanic areas of Mesa and Chandler. It also sheds most of Scottsdale (or at least ultra republican North Scottsdale). This is a 67 percent white district. Someone like Harry Mitchell would have ran here.

Greenish Bluish district would be District 3. Takes in Northwest Maricopa area (like Surprise and Sun City), all of Yuma and La Paz counties, and the Lake Havasu portion of Kingman County. I’m not sure who would have run here (maybe someone from the legislature. A republican most likely would have won here in a 69 percent white district. Yuma residents would have been thrilled to be represented by a republican after having put up with liberal democrats like Pastor and Udall for the past 20+ years.

Silver district is District 6. Takes in Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, parts of Paradise Valley, and the Anthem/Cave Creek/Carefree area. JD Hayworthless would have represented this district. With Tempe removed and republican areas from old CD 3 added, Hayworth wouldn’t have been unseated in an 86 percent white district.

Light purple district is District 4. It takes in the northern suburban areas of Phoenix. This would have been Shady Shadegg’s district. He would have been safe here, but I’m guessing it would have been slightly less republican than old CD 3. 73 percent white district.

Light blue district is District 1. Merely contracts in size as all the Hispanic precincts from Mesa and Chandler are gone. Everything bad about Maricopa County is in this district. This district is full of Mormons, neo Nazis, arpaio worshippers. Surprisingly enough Jeff Flake isn’t all that nutty (even though he voted against Katrina aid). This district is 81% white.

[freepcrusher]

These is the Tucson Area




Dark Green district would be district 5. This would have been Jim Kolbe’s district. It is entirely within central Tucson and is 52% white, and 38% Hispanic. He probably would have won in 02 and 04, and then retired, leaving Gabrielle Giffords to take over.

District 7 is in red, takes in parts of Pima County, the Pinal county portion is the same, takes in all of the Maricopa portion of old CD 7 plus some areas from old CD 4. 56% white, 33% Hispanic district. This would probably have been safer for Grijalva with Yuma taken out of the district.

[freepcrusher]

this is a statewide view of Arizona


Dark Blue district is District 10. Takes in Santa Cruz, Cochise, Greenlee, Navajo, and Coconino Counties. Population is 49 percent white, 26 percent Native American, 21 percent Hispanic, 2 percent black, 1 percent Asian, 1 percent Other. This is the scenic part of Arizona and my favorite part of the state. Very well may have the largest Native American population of any CD. Ann Kirkpatrick may have ran here.

Pink district is District 9. Basically takes in all republican leaning areas of rural Arizona. This is a 75 percent white district. A republican legislator would have ran here and won.

[Bacon King]

Here's a 9 D, 8 R map that the Democrats could have drawn after the 2000 redistricting (though honestly, it doesn't look gerrymandered enough). If you can't tell, the GOP districts here are as follows: brown, the two lighter greens, teal, gray, pink, purple, and the sky blue in North Ga.

Democratic districts based in Savannah, Albany, Columbus, Augusta, and Macon, with another four based in the Atlanta metro (though the Columbus district does swing up to Fulton).

In this map, note that it's Nathan Deal forced to run in someone else's district, rather than Bob Barr.

[Bacon King]

Here's a more, ahem, "finely tuned" map, something that the notorious gerrymanderers that made the actual 2002-2005 map would be more likely to make.

The nine Democratic districts here are all between 42 and 52 percent black, ensuring their Congressmen have a nice buffer against swings.

But wow, that pink GOP-pack district is a monstrosity.