Your New Congressional Districts?
By Shaun Kenney | Tuesday, March 15th, 2011 | Politics
(click to embiggen)
Thus do the chips fall… 8 Republicans, 3 Democrats. All safe seats.
More notably, I will be returning to the 7th Congressional District and the warm, loving embrace of the 7th District Committee, whereas my soon-to-be-former representation in Rep. Robert Hurt can practically pull out of his garage and practically drive all the way to Washington…
Overall, not too many surprises other than the spread of VA-05 and the compactness of VA-07.
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About the author
Shaun Kenney is the Chairman of the Fluvanna County Board of Supervisors, former Communications Director for the Republican Party of Virginia, and an active blogger since 2002. Shaun lives in Thomas Jefferson's backyard with his wife, six children, and a modest attempt at a farm in Kents Store, Virginia.
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Comments
33 Responses to "Your New Congressional Districts?"
is there any way to tell if our precincts got moved?
These are unofficial! However, they are similar if not exact to the reports coming out today about the incumbents backing this map
No way to zoom on precincts
Spiffy… I’m still in the 2nd District.
Getting Hampton down to 2 districts is a big improvement
And yet, Prince William is still split three ways, even though it’s half a district by itself! What a clusterf***!
Hard to understand what Northwestern Fauquier and Culpeper have to do with Farmville and Keysville.
Look like if there’s a swing district, it’s still the 2nd? I’m wondering about the “community of interest” between Danville and the DC exurbs as well, James.
This is exceedingly frustrating. Giving up any chance of taking back the 11th seems like insanity to me. The 11th looks ridiculous now and the communities of interest between it and the 10th now make no sense.
I agree with Brian. There are Voting Rights Act districts in many states, including VA-3, that are less gerrymandered than VA-11 and eastern VA-10. What an outrage!
Come now, gentlemen: since when have communities of interest ever deterred incumbents from protecting themselves?
The eastern half of Prince George is getting swallowed up by the 4th. Not cool, I liked voting against Bobby Scott. Being in a safe R district, with a good congressman too fiscally conservative to challenge in a primary, is no fun. Being the underdog kind of is.
Supporting a libertarian last year was great, but now I’ll be voting for Randy Forbes, proudly, but without much enthusiasm.
Anyone else enjoy a challenge as much as I do?
the lower half of Robert Hurt’s district has nothing in common with the northern half. but this is part of the trend to marginalize the country folks. sigh. we just don’t have the votes.
Don’t bet that this map is finished. I think there are some serious errors.
WTFifth?
Chris: Voting against Bobby Scott in the 3rd kind of goes beyond the level “challenge.” A challenge is when there’s some chance — no matter how slim — of winning. Voting against Scott, like voting against Goodlatte in the 6th, just seems like an exercise in futility.
No doubt, Steve. But the same holds true in the 4th. At least being in the 3rd gives me the option of being involved in choosing the Republican nominee (or, as was the case this past election, supporting a Libertarian) in the years when the GOP chooses to field a candidate. The 4th just means voting for Randy Forbes, often with no opposition (though the same, albeit reversed, option presents itself in the 3rd).
Right. Well, there’s this: The 4th, absent the current incumbent, would be more competitive than the 3rd. Nobody’s going to beat Forbes in the 4th, but were he to decide to retire or run for the Senate or governor, I can at least imagine a competitive race in the 4th. Not so much the 3rd.
The Fifth looks like it’s what’s left over after the other districts were drawn.
Never fear, gentlemen. When Congressman Forbes decides to run for higher office or retire, I’ll run in the 4th and it will remain a GOP juggernaut.
Jim is that really an announcement, because I could be a fan of that?
As a rural resident, I have to agree with Kelley and Ponder.
Apart from the few minutes of childish glee I had in photoshopping it — http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i425/pleadingfifth/c86aa87e.jpg (Am I the only one cockeyed enough to see it that way?) — the new shape of the 5th gives me no joy.
pleadingfifth,
Very good. The Boston Gazette could not have done better. Best of all, you have VA-5 preparing to eat the rats that are VA-11 and VA-8.
pleadingfifth –
That is EXCELLENT!
For the sake of aesthetics, they should have let the 5th compeletly bisect the state, not like they didn’t come close enough.
All I can say is the Faquier Co. Chair will have a very long drive to get to the 5th Congressional District meetings…
Shaun Kenney and HisRoc,
Thanks! Y’all are way too kind.
I really do hope those lines aren’t final. My fear is that the spirit of conservatism inhabiting that chimera — the head of the Northern species stitched to the body of the Southern — may be too easily decapitated!
There’s a rumor circulating amongst Dem circles that the DoJ will require Virginia to have TWO minority-majority districts. In that case, it’s likely that Randy Forbes would be pushed out, with the 2nd eating up all of Chesapeake and the solid parts of Suffolk, with the border for the 4th pushed far west.
Speculation, but worth noting.
Yes indeed. The 5th is what was left over after the other ten were drawn. Ridiculous. But I can about guarantee you that no map will be drawn without a huge majority of incumbents agreeing to it. Surprised to see the 1st inching up toward DC. Guess it had to go somewhere. Can’t imagine Rob Wittman is thrilled with that, but….safe is safe.
Your theory is idle speculation, DJ, but you honestly think Forbes would be “pushed-out” in favor of Rigell?
Great point, Steve. At this point I really wouldn’t mind seeing Forbes jump in to the senate race. Wishful thinking, though.
It’s not my theory. It’s speculation coming from the Cook Report and Democratic circles.
And in pushing him out would simply result in a battle between Forbes and Rigell.
[...] of The Cook Political Report on his twitter feed. The first can also be found in an article by Shaun Kenney over at Bearing Drift. Please keep in mind that I am not trying to be critical of Wasserman as he is just offering [...]
Hmmm. Looks like this is the only way I’ll get rid of that ass-hat Cantor as my rep in congress. OK with me.
Even though the Virginia method for drawing lines should be fair and non-partisan and the Congressional majority has drawn the lines the keep all incumbants “safe” the conduct and the legislation coming from the House is so bad for all but the super rich the people of Virgina will rise up and throw the bums out. This is my pipe dream. Lies can only be sustained until the resulting pain of those lies reaches your family and friends. How has that “trickle down” thing worked for you?
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