| They are crammed full of fun factoids.
Currently, Republicans hold fifteen of Florida's twenty-five Congressional seats. The state is expected to gain one additional seat after the 2010 census.
According to 2007 data from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey, the average Democrat- held district is currently under-populated by about 3,700 people. The Republican-held seats, in contrast, are generally in more rural areas of the state. Their districts are over-populated by an average of almost 74,000 people.
Five seats will be open in 2010: the 12th, 17th, 19th, 21st and 25th. The incumbents of the first two left office to run for other elected positions, the third to become president of non-profit, the fourth to retire and the fifth to run for the seat vacated by the fourth.
As a result of the 2002 redistricting plan, Republicans initially held eighteen of the Congressional seats as a result of gaining two seats during the redistricting process, with new seats created specifically for Tom Feeney, then Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives, and Mario Diaz-Balart, then chair of the state House's redistricting committee. Over the course of the 2006 and 2008 elections, however, the Republicans have since lost three seats (the 8th, 22nd and 24th) resulting in the current balance of fifteen Republicans and ten Democrats.
While the initiative is generally supported by most Democrats (though some African American elected leaders have expressed concerns about it) and attacked by Republicans, it is worth remembering that in 1991 Democrats divided districts to their political advantage just as Republicans did in 2001. The Democratic over-reach in 1991 made possible a swing to Republican control in the Republican sweep of 1994.[emphasis added]
According to the Census Bureau's 2006-2008 American Community Survey figures, the state's population was 60.3% white, 21.0% Hispanic, and 15.9% African-American.
Florida's 1st Congressional district is in the Western-most part of the state and has the most military veterans of any district in the country, making up 19.4% of its population. Culturally very southern, the district is 76.1% white and has a Cook Partisan Voting Index of R +21. In the 2008 presidential election, the 1st gave John McCain 67% of its vote.
Florida's 2nd Congressional district is directly east of the 1st and is centered on the state's capitol, Tallahassee. It extends west to Destin and east to the Sewanee River and is the part of the state with the highest percentage of native Floridians.
While national Republicans have yet to take a significant stand behind any of the several GOP candidates for this seat[CD-2], it is one of the better chances in the state for the Republicans to gain a seat and so they will likely spend more time and money on the campaign once the primaries are done.
The 3rd district is currently the most underpopulated district in Northern Florida, with about 40,000 people less than the ideal size.
If necessary, given the solid conservative nature of the 4th District, some of its more Republican neighborhoods may move to strengthen weaker Republican districts nearby like the 2nd, 6th or 7th.
Florida's 5th is a quickly growing region north and east of St. Petersburg and Tampa. A favorite area of retirees, almost a quarter of its population is over sixty-five. Thirty-nine percent of residents receive Social Security, the highest of any district in the country.
The 5th is the most populous congressional district in Florida. With over 880,000 residents, it is more than twenty-five percent over the ideal population level. About 180,000 people will need to be moved to another district.
Republican legislators will likely continue their method of moving the more liberal voters into the already solidly liberal 3rd in order to strengthen their power in the 6th. As one of the more sprawling districts in the state, however, the 6th will probably see some major changes if the FairDistricts initiative is passed by the voters of Florida this November.
As the 7th is not as strongly Republican as some of the other districts nearby, some of its liberal voters will probably be shuffled around, likely to the already Democratic 3rd.
The 8th District is overpopulated by about 11% and Republican legislators will likely work hard to shed more liberal voters around Orlando in order to strengthen their position in the district. If the FairDistricts initiative passes, however, the 8th is likely to see big changes due to its current 'wrap-around' irregular shape.
The 24th is one of two districts created in 2002 and designed specifically for a certain Republican politician, then-State Speaker of the House, Republican Tom Feeney. Like the 8th, the 24th will be an extremely competitive race in November.
The 24th is slightly overpopulated with about 8% more than the ideal population. In 2011, Republicans will likely try to strengthen themselves in this district by moving some of the more liberal precincts into the already Democratic 3rd.
In conclusion, northern Florida hosts two of the most competitive 2010 races in the country. It also encompasses some of the most overpopulated districts in the state and a single district which has been specifically created to hold the liberal parts of the region, allowing the other districts to be more safely Republican. Together, these factors will make Northern Florida an interesting area to watch both in the 2010 election and the 2012 redistricting. It is also a potential place for the new district to be added, due to its large population.
Isn't that all great stuff? (It's easier to follow if you're looking at the pics they include).
And I only quoted a small part of what's there! |
