I drew my map with the goal of getting as many Democratic seats as possible. This was before I knew New Jersey has a commision draw its seats so it is probably unrealistic. I looked up the politcal data and caculated the presidential results for each district. I managed to get 11 districts at 54% or better and one Republican seat.
Northeast New Jersey
North New jersey
South New Jersey
District 1 – Frank LoBiondo(R-Ventnor)
Stays Pretty much the same loses its area in Burlington and Camden Counties for more democratic areas in Gloucester County
Voted 55.3-43.5 Obama
District 2 – Robert Andrews(D-Haddon Heights)
Andrews current district went 65% for Obama so I gave some of its democratic areas to the 1st and 3rd and picked up republican areas in Burlington and Ocean Counties.
Voted 58-40.7 Obama
District 3 – John Adler(D-Cherry Hill)
Adlers old district went 52% for Obama so I swaped some areas with Andrews gave it the rest of Norther Burlington County and gave it less of Ocean County
Voted 56.1-42.8 Obama
District 4 – Christoper Smith(R-Hamiliton) vs Rush Holt(D-Hopewell)
Since I took Burlington out of the old 4th I needed more democratic areas so I gave it all of Mercer County where both Smith and Holt live and to balance it out I gave it the rest of Ocean Coutny
Voted 55.8-42.9 Obama
District 5 – Frank Pallone(D-Long Branch)
Loses New Brunswick and Plainfield picks up Linden and picks up some republican areas of Monmouth County
Voted 54.3-44.6 Obama
District 6 – No Incumbent
Since I was trying to avoid a republican district in the south. When I put all of Mercer County in the 4th it left me with no incumbent near my 6th. Takes in New Brunswick and other Democratic areas in Middlesex County and Republican areas of Monmouth County.
Voted 55.4-43.6 Obama
District 7 – Lenoard Lance(R-Lebanon)
The old 7th barely went for Obama so I gave it more of Union County
Voted 54.1-45.1 Obama
District 8 – Donald Payne(D-Newark)
Lost its areas of Elizabeth and gained area in Essex and Morris counties. Is only 45% Black and 37% White
District 9 – Albio Sires(D-West New York)
Loses its finger to the south and picks up areas in Hudson and Bergen counties. Only 44% Hispanic and 37% White
District 10 – Bill Pascrell Jr(D-Patterson) Takes in almost all of Passaic County and some of Essex and some republican areas in Bergen County.
Voted 57.3-41.9 Obama
District 11 – Steven Rothman(D-Fair Lawn)
Loses area in Passaic and Hudson Counties picks up more area in Bergen County and Passaic City.
Voted 58.7-40.5 Obama
District 12 – Scott Garrett(R-Wantage) vs Rodney Frelinghuysen(R-Harding)
The 12th is left with Republican areas in the north.
I didnt have political data of Morris County but this district went about 56-43 McCain
I’m a little worried about the 4th because Chris Smith is really good at getting elected. I’m from West Windsor and I really don’t want to lose this. But no reward comes without risks, and this is a risk worth taking. Another part of me thinks people in Hamilton will vote for Holt over Smith if given the opportunity.
Also I think Lance and Lobiondo will continue to get reelected in this map, but at least it might force them to vote more liberally.
Bravo for making an 11-1 map (in theory) that looks much cleaner than the current 8-5 map.
Of course, it doesn’t appear to satisfy the VRA and there are several Dem incumbents I worry about, but as an exercise, it’s interesting to see.
Hey, failing that, we can lure Kal Penn into the race. It’s definitely a lean Dem seat, though there are two heavily R State Senate seats to draw from for the GOP, though at least one seems pretty moderate (Jennifer Beck). Oddly, though the new district has the 30th SD as a part of it, none of the representatives live in Monmouth County.