The (Redistricting) Calm Before the Storm

I AM THRILLED.. (0.00 / 0)

....that the first hearing will be near my house.  I can't wait to testify.

activist for hire.

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by: Jay Lassiter @ Tue Sep 06, 2011 at 19:28:24 PM UTC

What are you going to say? (0.00 / 0)

You should start by asking them to get Cherry Hill out of LD3 and Hamilton out of LD4.  I know that it is probably too much to ask to have you ask them to make LD1 as competitive as possible so that LD2, LD3, and LD4 could be as competitive as possible, but that is probably too much to ask.

Aside from that, all I want from redistricting is a Mercer-Hunterdon district that would force Leonard Lance and Chris Smith to face each other in a Republican primary before taking on Rush Holt in the general election.

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by: Bertin Lefkovic @ Wed Sep 07, 2011 at 01:34:38 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

I guess that Bill Pascrell, Jr. is going to be safe for another decade (0.00 / 0)

With his former chief-of-staff, Ed Farmer, on the commission, I think that it is highly unlikely that we will see Pascrell put in the same district as another Congressman.

When I was playing around with Dave's Redistricting Map last night, I created a district that put Pascrell's hometown of Paterson in a district with half of Bergen County, setting up a potential primary election battle between him and Steve Rothman.  I also created a district that consisted of Sussex, Warren, Morris, and NW Essex, setting up a potential primary election battle between Rodney Frelinghuysen and Scott Garrett.

Other districts that I created consist of...

...the remainder of Passaic County and the other half of Bergen County.  It is probably a Republican-leaning district, but it could create an opportunity for someone like Blue Jersey's own, Jeff Gardner, to run for Congress.

...Hudson County and Elizabeth.  Safe for Sires.

...the remainder of Essex County.  Safe for Payne, but could be a great district for someone like Ron Rice, Jr., who has progressive allies in Suburban Essex.

...the remainder of Union County and parts of Middlesex and Somerset Counties.  This would be an open seat in one of the two most competitive districts in the state.

...all of Hunterdon and Mercer Counties and part of Somerset County, which would force Leonard Lance and Chris Smith into a primary election battle with the winner taking on Rush Holt in one of the two most competitive districts in the state.

...parts of Middlesex and Monmouth.  Safe for Pallone, but the district is mostly in Middlesex County, which means that someone ambitious and connected like Peter Barnes III could decide to take a shot at him in a primary election battle.

...parts of Monmouth and Ocean County.  This would be a Republican-leaning open seat.

...all of Burlington County except for Mount Laurel and part of Ocean County.  This would be a Republican-leaning open seat.

...all of Camden County, part of Gloucester County, and Mount Laurel.  This would set up a general election battle between Rob Andrews and Jon Runyan.

...all of Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland, and Salem Counties and part of Gloucester County.  Safe for LoBiondo.

This map would create safe seats for Andrews, Payne, Pallone, Rothman, Sires, and LoBiondo, a safe seat for either Frelinghuysen or Garrett, 3 Republican-leaning open seats, and two competitive seats, one containing three incumbents and one open.

I think that progressives and members of the TPM should work together to advocate for a map along these lines.

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by: Bertin Lefkovic @ Wed Sep 07, 2011 at 17:34:27 PM UTC

I still think the best solution (0.00 / 0)

is simply to throw Holt and Lance together in a Somerset, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex district.

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by: 12mileseastofTrenton @ Wed Sep 07, 2011 at 17:50:43 PM UTC

[ Parent ]