Biggest Races Regarding Redistricting

by: Mike Lux

Tue Oct 21, 2008 at 10:30


Cross-posted on Huffington Post

I am going to write a series of pieces (hopefully) over the next 24 hours laying out the biggest individual races as we head into the final two weeks of the election. My first one is on the state legislative level.  
Mike Lux :: Biggest Races Regarding Redistricting
Because there are so many state legislative races in so many states, I have limited my list to the closest and most important races in the most important states in terms of redistricting. I kept this list to about three-to-six seats per competitive chamber, with the exception of the Nevada Senate, control of which at this moment appears to be mostly coming down to just one race (can you image how much attention that one race is getting right now?)

I also haven't taken the time to find out the dynamics on each race, or who's a good progressive and who's a more conservative Dem. Too many races, too little time, and at this moment all I care about is redistricting.

I'm adding them to my ActBlue page (for reasons beyond my comprehension, some of these candidates don't have ActBlue pages, so you can't give to them there, but I've included links to their websites), and hoping folks who care about redistricting and haven't already spent every last dime they have can throw these folks a little coin:

Democrats today hold a 27-20 lead in control of state Senates and a 30-19 lead in state Houses.  Two state Senates are tied.

IN-House (Democratic control, 51-49)

John Polles - Indiana House District 26
John Burger -- Indiana House District 63
Mary Ann Sullivan -- Indiana House District 97

MI-House (Democratic control, 58-52 seats)

Jennifer Haase -- Michigan House District 32
Julie Rogers - Michigan House District 61
Kate Segal -- Michigan House District 62
Judy Truesdell - Michigan House District 78
Mary Valentine - Michigan House District 91
Judy Nerat - Michigan House District 108

Nevada Senate (Republican control, 11-10 seats)

Allison Copening -- Nevada Senate District 6

NY-Senate (Republican control, 32-30 seats)

Brian Foley -- New York Senate District 3
Joseph Addabbo- New York Senate District 15
Richard Dollinger - New York Senate District 56
Bill Stachowski - New York Senate District 58
Kathy Konst - New York State District 59
"Baby" Joe Mesi - New York Senate District 61

OH-House (Republican control, 53-46 seats)

Jennifer Brady -- Ohio House District 16
Matt Patten -- Ohio House District 18
Nancy Garland -- Ohio House District 20
Mike Moran -- Ohio House District 42

OR-House (Democratic control, 31-29 seats)

Toby Forsberg -- Oregon House District 39
Nick Kahl -- Oregon House District 49
Greg Matthews -- Oregon House District 50

PA-House (Democratic control, 102-101 seats)

Ayanna Lee -- Pennsylvania House District 44
Paul Drucker -- Pennsylvania House District 157
John DeFrancisco -- Pennsylvania House District 162
Steve Rovner -- Pennsylvania House District 178

TN-Senate (Tied, 16/16 with one independent)

Becky Ruppe - Tennessee Senate District 12
Randy Camp - Tennessee Senate District 26

WI-House (Republican control, 52-47 seats)

Trish O'Neil -- Wisconsin Assembly District 47
Penny Bernard Schaber -- Wisconsin Assembly District 57
Lou Anne Weix -- Wisconsin Assembly District 90

WI-Senate (Democratic control, 18-15 seats)

Sheldon Wasserman - Wisconsin Senate District 8
Alison Page - Wisconsin Senate District 10
Tara Johnson -- Wisconsin Senate District 32

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Biggest Races Regarding Redistricting | 8 comments
Check out Burnt Orange on TX (4.00 / 1)
I think they're pushing several state house races hard - we're currently down 79-71 there. Flip one chamber in TX, we can nix the Delay gerrymander - that's probably worth 5 seats in Congress.
Thanks! (0.00 / 0)
[ Parent ]
Thanks for highlighting the MI house, the Senate also needs help (0.00 / 0)
the GOP currently controls the chamber but barely.   Democratic control of the Senate would go a long way towards enacting change for the better more quickly and effectively
Wisconsin (0.00 / 0)
All three Assembly candidates are good, progressive Democrats.  Trish and Penny are two of the more exciting candidates (to me) in a while.  Really strong, outspoken progressives running explicitly as progressives.  

Trish is being heavily attacked by the conservative movement establishment here in Wisconsin.  Very heavily.  I live in her neck of the woods so I hear and see it.  Not sure about Penny and Lou Ann.  I'm guessing they're getting hit hard too.  

These three women would form part of a progressive caucus in the Assembly, along with the newbies that won in 2006.  Exciting time in Wisconsin state politics.

The Senate candidates are certainly less progressive across the board from the Assembly candidates.  Socially a bit more liberal, but not really economic progressives.  It would be good if we could win one of these seats - they're all tough to win this time because of the GOP incumbents.  

Also... (0.00 / 0)
I forgot to mention an addendum on the State Senate that I think Mike got wrong.

Jessica King is running for State Senate in a highly-winnable district - and she's a strong progressive.  I think her district is more winnable that two of the three Mike listed above for the Senate.  

[ Parent ]
redistricting (0.00 / 0)
You know, I almost prefer Republicans drawing the district lines, strange as that may sound.  Here's why.  Each party tries to maximize the number of districts have a majority of their own voters.  These means bunching up the opposition's supporters in a few districts and going for very narrow majorities in your own districts.

But this has a side effect of making your own districts competitive and your opposition's districts safe.  If you want "better" Democrats, you want Republicans drawing the district lines.  If you want Republican districts that still give Democrats a shot when times change, you want Republicans drawing the lines.

I'm not sure I really prefer Republicans drawing the district lines, but there is definitely an upside.

upside. (0.00 / 0)
I'll take the extra 40 seats in the House controlling re-districting in the key states would mean to your upside.  
[ Parent ]
Wasserman in WI (0.00 / 0)
Wasserman has good qualifications.  He gives a lot of support to women's rights, including pro-choice, and has good relations with LGBT both in state and out state.

His opponent, incumbent Alberta Darling, pretended to be moderate, even joining Planned Parenthood, when first elected.  She was just endorsed by Right to Life.

Wasserman has strong backing from organized labor, Darling has the support of ATF and Grover Norquist.

Darling needs to go and Wasserman needs to get into the Senate to improve the conditions in this state, including equal rights for everyone.

Biggest Races Regarding Redistricting | 8 comments
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