Thoughts on the new map
I don’t know how SOME of these new districts will pass muster in court. I’ve had problems with the current districts. What do people in Johnston County have in common with people in Brunswick County, issue-wise? It was well known at the time of the Seventh District’s redrawing, that it was shaped to benefit then-state senator David Rouzer. (He still first lost his first crack at the new GOP-leaning district.) Big Dave was bored with Raleigh and wanted to check out DC.
We here in Pinehurst are in the Eighth. WHAT, pray tell, do we have in common with Cabarrus County — in the greater Charlotte traffic snarl? Yet, we were drawn in to bolster the electoral prospects of life-long GOP errand boy Richard Hudson.
The new map puts us in the Ninth District with Dan Bishop. It runs along the southern border of the state from Charlotte. Again, what do we have in common with those counties? Granted, we’re a fundraising gold-mine for politicians. The new map splits Moore County roughly in half between Bishop’s Ninth and Hudson’s Eighth. (Hudson gets stuck with the less lucrative half of the county. )
George Holding needs to make more friends on Jones Street. This is the second time they’ve screwed him over in redistricting. He countered the last effort by doing God’s work and ridding our lives of Renee Ellmers. Now, Raleigh has stuck him with most of The People’s Republic of Wake, You know, the place with NO SIGNIFICANT ELECTED REPUBLICANS. (Actually, I think their last surviving significant Republican — a state senator — is not running again in 2020.) The Democrats in Wake are of the Bernie Sanders stripe. They’re not aisle-crossers. Ol’ George definitely has his work cut out for him.
Of course, Holding could once again primary a fellow incumbent. David Rouzer’s district includes Johnston County — where the Holding family business, First Citizens Bank, was founded and a whole bunch of the Holding clan still reside. Talk about a battle royale.
Virginia Foxx’s Fifth district appears to touch THREE state lines — Virginia, Tennessee, and South Carolina. How does that meet the standards for compactness and commonality? It looks more like covering Miss Virginia’s posterior. (She’s been a disappointment. A good conservative in the General Assembly, she’s become a leadership sycophant and bootlicker in DC.)
Another incumbent who REALLY REALLY REALLY needs to get out in the world and get a real job is Patrick McHenry. He’s worked up one of the most liberal voting records in the GOP caucus of the state’s congressional delegation. Foxx licks the left boot of leadership, while McHenry appears to concentrate on the right. His new Tenth district is an inverted “L” — stretching from near the South Carolina border to several counties bordering the Virginia state line. Compactness or commonality, anyone? (*Bueller? Bueller?*)
I believe what we have here is basically a three card monte or shell game: sacrifice a couple of incumbents to shut the media up, and cough up another piece of abstract art that protects most incumbents. And, of course, continue to leave the voters confused and bewildered. Playing this game leaves so many voters looking at a new congressman every two years — and not even knowing WHO represents them. (Perhaps, that is the plan.)
Why can’t we get districts composed of counties in the same actual region of the state with common issue interests?
“Why can’t we get districts composed of counties in the same actual region of the state with common issue interests?”
Ha Ha Ha …..If all the black democrats lost would it be the Republicans fault? Or the Democrats?
Think hard about this one.
The strong grassroots Tea Party movement of Wake County put Renee Ellmers into office, and took her back out when she showed her true arrogant colors and financial dependence on the illegal alien protectors at the Farm Bureau. My wife and I were involved in both aspects of her short political career, good riddance. I do not recall once the NCGOP helping us. If candidates emerged from the grass roots, they would not need much in the way of political consultants or money and would succeed regardless the district boundaries – see the Tea Party candidate now in the White House who ran his campaign on a low budget. Stick to traditional American values and come from the real world – best are those from industry – and voters will get behind you. George Washington warned against organized political parties and for good reason.
I am so bloody sick of judges playing “Bring me a rock” with our legislative districts. You know, “Bring me a rock. NO, not THAT rock. Bring me another rock.” The voters gave the Republicans a majority in the legislature, so REPUBLICANS should make the districts NOT Democrats in black robes.
Excellent analysis. Instead of trying to protect incumbents, they should have tried to make more competitive seats and take advantage of what should be a good 2020 climate, once our Gubernatorial candidate gets a message than makes sense. This map sucks and the Dems are going to take it to court anyway, and probably win.
Disagree with your assertion that Moore is a “fundraising gold mine”. The retirees vote in big numbers but they have a bad case of alligator arms. Those are the facts.
Are there any bigger do-nothing seat-warmers than Holding and Rouzer? What do they champion? What are their top issues? I doubt any voter in NC knows.