How important is control of state legislatures?

[kentuck]

Aren't they the ones that draw the lines for new Congressional districts?

Along with electing a large number of Republican Governors, isn't this how the GOP was able to gerrymander the congressional districts so much in their favor in 2010? But they had to win the state offices in 2008 and before for that to happen. They could not have re-drawn the lines in 2010 if they did not control the governorships and the legislatures.

However, once they re-drew the lines, it made it much more difficult to get rid of them in 2012 and beyond. The Republican landslide in 2010 was not just because they had a better turnout but because they had won the state legislatures before that.

We saw the impact in the 2012 election, in that more than 1.5 million more voters voted for the Democratic candidate and the Repubs were still able to maintain control of the House.

[redstatebluegirl]

1. I have tried to bring this up before here on DU.

Not much interest or else I said it the wrong way. Their plan is to take over the states, and then dismantle the federal government or at least make it less powerful so they can put their conservative BS forward in the states and get their way.

There is method to their madness....

[Peacetrain]

3. Passing a cup of coffee...

(_)O exactly. There are a number of us on this site who have been posting about just this subject. You are not alone.

[Avalux]

9. I'll take a cup too.

I'm one of those who has been talking about this for awhile now. Living here in Texas, and seeing what's happening in my home state of PA, it's obvious. The GOP wants the federal government to be powerless, and they'll control as many states as possible.

[Peacetrain]

12. (_)O (_)O a cup and a refill

You are seeing it from 2 points of view.. Texas and Pa. The Republicans hate the Federal goverment.. they have no respect for laws (ACA being one..they think it is still active legislation) ..no respect for the Constitution..

[nadinbrzezinski]

20. Yup

[mmonk]

2. Extremely. We mave have already lost what is left of our democracy.

[blm]

4. GOP legislatures extreme gerrymandered this congress into control for at least a decade.

.

[karmaqueen]

5. So very important...

They have managed to take our beautiful progressive State and destroy just about everything in a few short months. My heart cries for North Carolina...

[Peacetrain]

6. Not only does it impact by gerrymandering

It is almost impact Obamacare ACA whatever you want to call it. 13 states opted out. Leaving those who are under the Federal Poverty Level guideline SOL when it comes to getting insurance.

[BlueCaliDem]

7. Vitally important. The Koch Bros and their billionaire Libertarian friends know this as a fact.

That's why they targeted the states and blanketed them with lying political ads, using the meme, "Jobs! Jobs! Jobs!" in order to weasel their way into power where they immediately began redistricting in favor of extreme rightwing (pro-libertarian) Teapublicans to ensure safe seats for their lackeys.

And it worked, just as they knew it would.

[Hutzpa]

11. It worked because people

were not paying attention, it can also be reversed just as they're trying to reverse OBAMACARE,
but the law can also take precedents if they find that the GOP have abused their power.

[MineralMan]

8. Critically important.

Sadly, we will have to wait until the 2020 elections to elect state legislatures to handling districting. We missed our chance in 2010.

Fortunately, some states, like Minnesota, have established redistricting laws that protect against destructive gerrymandering. Would that all states had similar rules. We weren't heavily affected after the 2010 census. Other states suffered badly.

Every election is crucial for state legislatures.

GOTV 2014!

[kentuck]

13. But do not they have to win the elections before 2020?

Because if they waited until 2020, they would probably not take office until 2021? So they need to plan 2 or 3 elections ahead to take over legislatures and they need to be already in control in 2020.

[MineralMan]

22. Not exactly. The state legislatures elected in 2020 will set the district

boundaries for future elections until the next census. All elections are crucial, but census year elections are critical.

We will be living with the boundaries set by the state legislatures elected in 2010 for a long time to come. That's why the 2010 elections were such a disaster for Democrats in many states. Had Democrats done better, the district boundaries in some places would look a lot different.

Elections have long-lasting effects, especially the ones that take place in census years, since those elected in those years do the redistricting that lasts for ten more years.

[Hutzpa]

14. 2020??

Damn that a long time, can't they reverse the law if they investigate and found it's been abused??

[kentuck]

16. Unless you're Tom Delay..

The census happens every 10 years and that is when new lines can be drawn.

[MineralMan]

21. It's not that easy.

Redistricting is a state matter. While it's possible for the federal courts to play a role, they usually do not. It's rare for any redistricting to be changed under any circumstances, but when it happens, it's generally done through state courts, not federal.

The only sure time redistricting occurs is following the census. That happens every ten years. IN 2011, the states all redistricted, and the results were felt in the 2012 elections. In my own state of Minnesota, our redistricting system kept the Republicans, who took control of the state legislature in 2010, from gerrymandering the state. In 2012, we voted to take the state legislature back from the Republicans. In other states, things didn't so so well, and redistricting was done to gain Republican seats and hold them.

But, it is a state issue, and the federal courts don't step in except in rare circumstances, and even then, they just require the states to fix things themselves.

States control elections, not the federal government. That's how the Constitution wanted it, and that's how it is done. Major changes would require a Constitutional Amengement, and that's unlikely in the extreme.

[LonePirate]

15. Districts were redrawn in 2011 after the 2010 census and election

The 2008 elections factor little into the 2010 losses which pushed thousands of Republicans into state legislatures.

[kentuck]

17. My mistake then..

I thought they had to be re-drawn in the same year as the census??

[PoliticAverse]

23. Official U.S. Census Bureau apportionment results weren't released until December 21, 2010,

so the actual redistricting was done in 2011.

[kentuck]

24. So the actual gerrymandering had no impact until the 2012 elections?

Is that right?

[PoliticAverse]

25. Well there was gerrymandering before the 2010 census, there has been for years...

and years - just the current configuration took effect for the 2012 elections.

[State the Obvious]

18. Just keep your eyes on California....

...and you might get your answer.

1) Democratic governor, Jerry Brown

2) Dem-controlled legislature

From my POV.....I am OK with it.

[nadinbrzezinski]

19. Two things under estimated in importance

In DU...state legislatures and judicial races.

Planning commissions are also important as well as school boards.

Most of these have no coverage even in hyper local media

[elleng]

26. CRITICALLY important,

and repugs have been working diligently to get their power for years, and have achieved it.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

27. GOP REDMAP Memo Admits Gerrymandering To Thank For Congressional Election Success

The 2012 elections didn't turn out so well as a whole for the GOP, but the Republican State Leadership Committee issued a memo this month proudly explaining that it could have been a lot worse if not for the successful redistricting push spurred by its efforts.

The report -- drafted as a summary of the importance of the RSLC's Redistricting Majority Project (REDMAP) -- serves as a breakdown of the broader GOP plan to take control of state legislatures, giving Republicans free rein to mount an aggressive gerrymandering campaign that allowed the party to keep a House majority, despite getting fewer votes in those races overall.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/17/gop-redmap-memo-gerrymandering_n_2498913.html

This could not be more important.