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Deminpenn

(15,295 posts)
Thu Dec 16, 2021, 08:53 PM Dec 2021

New state house and state senate maps favor

wait for it...

Dems!

https://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-state/2021/12/16/Democrats-could-make-huge-gains-in-Pennsylvania-legislature-under-proposed-new-maps/stories/202112160190

The legislature, especially the state house, has been heavily gerry-mandered to favor Rs since 2010. The new map was approved by the legislative redistricting committee by a 3-2 vote, Dems supported, Rs opposed, Chairman, former Pitt chancellor Mark Nordenberg voted to approve. Analysis shows Dems have a chance to win 102 seats in a 203 seat state house. The state senate map comes out as a 50-50 map. Rs now control the state senate 28-21.

When Nordenberg was appointed by the 4 partisan members of the redistricting commission, I thought a pretty fair map was quite possible. That plus having a Dem gov with veto power and insufficient Rs to override it.

It's not too surprising given the state's population growth is in the SE and eastern half of the state where most of the Dems are.

6 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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New state house and state senate maps favor (Original Post) Deminpenn Dec 2021 OP
Oh, the MAGAts out here in MyOwnPeace Dec 2021 #1
They are still going to keep their R legislators, Deminpenn Dec 2021 #2
Oh, they know they'll keep theirs..... MyOwnPeace Dec 2021 #5
Great if we can get these maps approved FakeNoose Dec 2021 #3
It will come down to the state supreme court ColinC Dec 2021 #4
A little more info here Deminpenn Dec 2021 #6

Deminpenn

(15,295 posts)
2. They are still going to keep their R legislators,
Thu Dec 16, 2021, 08:59 PM
Dec 2021

but population in northern tier, and western PA are declining.

MyOwnPeace

(16,952 posts)
5. Oh, they know they'll keep theirs.....
Thu Dec 16, 2021, 10:00 PM
Dec 2021

they just won't like the fact that others may actually have somebody that was fairly elected for their own districts!

FakeNoose

(32,892 posts)
3. Great if we can get these maps approved
Thu Dec 16, 2021, 09:20 PM
Dec 2021

But what are the chances? Repukes will never let this go through.

From the OP link:

But a key Republican on the panel trashed the House map as a clear effort by Democrats to seize control. House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff, R-Centre, said Democrats sought to twist gerrymandering in their favor rather than end it.

“Drawing a map that is meant for no other reason than to cement a legislative majority for a certain party for our coming decade [does] not undo the wrongs that they seek to correct,” Mr. Benninghoff said. “They repeat them. They perpetuate them. They revel in them.”

“I see this map as extremely partisan gerrymandered.”


Deminpenn

(15,295 posts)
6. A little more info here
Fri Dec 17, 2021, 09:06 AM
Dec 2021
https://www.timesonline.com/story/news/2021/12/16/pennsylvania-redistrimg-new-proposed-maps-pa-house-senate-districts-released/8930551002/

Also embedded is a direct link to the proposed maps.

The Senate redistricting was approved by the LRC unanimously so it should have no trouble passing.

The House redistricting map was approved 3-2 with Nordenberg casting the deciding vote.
But, really, we are only talking about 10-12 House districts. Right now Rs have about a 20 seat margin, 112-91 or something. That doesn't reflect the partisan registration in the state which is a slight majority D.
My guess is that the map will be approved given Wolf will veto any attempts by the Rs to make the map more R albeit not without a lot of wailing from Rs first.
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