This is an interesting resource

Thanks for this information.

I feel the logical next step for SSPers is state-level races, especially as they relate to redistricting. I've been considering trying to make a redistricting plan for House, State Senate and State House races, but am still trying to decide upon a state that's suitable for a test case (ie small, with Democratic control of redistricting, and preferably one where the lines can be moved about.)

Since state legislators decide the process and are at least as concerned about protecting themselves as about remapping it at a federal level, I think this is where we have the most potential - although it's probably also the area where Maptitude is farthest ahead of Dave's Redistricting App, since it contains more precinct data.

Does anybody have a suggestion where a good state to try this would be? I was considering Michigan, but with my work ethic that's likely to take months, and it'll be problematic because I don't know the political culture of the individual regions. And is anybody else working on something similar already?

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by: Englishlefty @ Tue Jun 23, 2009 at 13:00:18 PM UTC

Might I suggest Maryland?

It seems to fit your criteria, and you'd have relatively clear objectives (dislodging Bartlett, shoring up Kratovil). This is something I'm trying to work on as is and wish I could devote more time to.

Male, 23, DC-At Large

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by: JFM110 @ Tue Jun 23, 2009 at 18:01:08 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I shall look at it

That said, we've already got dominance there. The question is how much further we can push it. I'm thinking maybe Colorado, Oregon, Wisconsin or North Carolina (although the latter is a little large). States where we have the advantage, but not total dominance and where a little gerrymandering could drastically aid our farm team and hurt theirs.

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by: Englishlefty @ Tue Jun 23, 2009 at 23:09:59 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

If you do choose Colorado

I can probably help you.

30, male, Democratic, CO-01

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by: Tiger in BlueDenver @ Tue Jun 23, 2009 at 23:31:27 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I don't know what you could do with NC

Beyond making a Democratically friendly 14th and shoring up the 8th and 11th that state was pretty well tapped out in the 1992 and 2002 redistricting controlled by Democrats.  

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by: fitchfan28 @ Wed Jun 24, 2009 at 04:14:28 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Yes There Are a Lot of Democrats

But that doesn't mean that there are a lot of Democrats that most Democrats would want in DC. Some of these people could become Southern Republicans (like, for example, Wooton did IIRC) and you might not notice any difference in them. So let's not propose nominating people like Smith and Baldone.

The people who I assume could most easily raise the money here and who have at least okay voting records would be Chaisson and Alario. But Chaisson is busy as Senate President, and given the great power he has had in the state (a former House Speaker who after 30-something years there recently moved to the Senate) I don't know that Alario would be particularly interested in leaving Baton Rouge.

Butch Gautreaux might be a possibility. I think he's moved fairly far to the right in recent years - but those on the left (or economic conservatives) might appreciate that years ago he was the only senator to vote against funding to paint "God Bless America" and the US flag on the top of the Superdome.

I don't know much about senators Dupre and Amedee or most of the House members.

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by: armand @ Tue Jun 23, 2009 at 13:28:13 PM UTC

Painting "God Bless America" and the flag?

Isn't that...admittedly, a rather big waste of money?

I mean, I like to be proud of my country, but not in an extremely wasteful way...

party: Democratic, ideology: moderate, district: CT-01

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by: Glenn Magus Harvey @ Tue Jun 23, 2009 at 16:35:22 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Dupre is leaving the Senate

for a levee board, so he's probably out.

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by: Johnny Longtorso @ Tue Jun 23, 2009 at 22:32:06 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

butch gautraux

is certainly a great name for gettuing the cajun and bubba votes:)

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by: st paul sage @ Tue Jun 23, 2009 at 16:43:22 PM UTC

Well, after this past election,

I ain't sayin' anything about funny names anymore.

party: Democratic, ideology: moderate, district: CT-01

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by: Glenn Magus Harvey @ Tue Jun 23, 2009 at 18:50:18 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I hereby nominate

Bobby Boucher. Waterboy extraordinaire ;). But really...he cant be any more dumb than Diaper Dave ;).

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by: HarrisCountyBrian @ Tue Jun 23, 2009 at 19:20:02 PM UTC

do to crappy papers

that don't follow state politics much, (one reason why there's no transparecny almost), I know little about most of these people. Joel Chaisson is the perfect candidate, and his Senate district covers some of toughest parts of the district.

Call no man happy until he is dead-Aeschylus

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by: ArkDem the Ragin Cajin @ Tue Jun 23, 2009 at 22:56:14 PM UTC

Agreed

Chaisson would seem the obvious choice. Hopefully he'll consider it.

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by: armand @ Wed Jun 24, 2009 at 03:06:11 AM UTC

[ Parent ]