Thanks to Dave’s work I can write some diaries here about democratic gerrymander redistricting finding the limits for some states. I bid redistricting Maryland and New York previously.
I hope the democrats from New Mexico can have full control for have a good redistricting. New Mexico is not the state with worse redistricting but the things can improve still.
It is not easy to find the best way for redistricting New Mexico. The state is rated with D+2 but in the last election vote for Obama the 57% of the voters what is a D+5 level.
I think what a district with 57% Obama is not easy for republican candidates, and then, I wish find a 3-0 redistricting map, finding the limits for try win all the seats every election with the lowest effort.
Redistricting New Mexico, despite find the limits, gives the chance of find more compact models than New York. This is the map:
And the new districts data:
District 01:
– Incumbent: M Heinrich (D)
– Dark blue.
– Population: 607,027 with deviation of +678
– 2008 elections: 57% Obama; 42% McCain D+5.
– Racially: Wh 49%; HI 36%; Na: 10% ; Bl 2%; As 2%.
District 02:
– Incumbent: H Teague (D) or S Pierce (R)
– Dark green.
– Population: 604,063 with deviation of -2,286
– 2008 elections: 57% Obama; 42% McCain D+5.
– Racially: Wh 43%; HI 51%; Na: 2% ; Bl 2%; As 1%.
District 03:
– Incumbent: B Lujan
– Purple.
– Population: 607,956 with deviation of +1,607
– 2008 elections: 57% Obama; 42% McCain D+5.
– Racially: Wh 43%; HI 40%; Na: 14% ; Bl 1%; As 1%.
I try to keep all Alburquerque in the first district because I know not exactly where M Heinrich lives, and the city is big, but it is not difficult introduce a little change if is needed for keep inside M Heinrich.
The second district would be the more hispanic district, this is not my previous wish, but the numbers take this way, and I think would be very difficult for republican candidates like S Pierce. Leaving (near) all Alburquerque in the 1st, the second district needs some democratic votes from SantaFe county for up until 57% Obama.
In my bid, finding too compact districts, I divide only 3 counties between two districts:
Bernalillo: 1st and 3rd
Sandoval: 1st and 3rd
SantaFe: 2nd and 3rd
Can be this enough for leave to the republicans far of the New Mexico congressional delegations in the future? I think maybe with a population increasingly hispanic.
I wish good luck to the democrats from New Mexico. Les deseo la mejor suerte a los demócratas de New Mexico.
I know that in Arizona it’s illegal for Native American Reservations to be split between multiple Congressional Districts. Does the same law apply in New Mexico? If so, than this map would be thrown out because it splits at least the Navajo Nation between the 1st and the 3rd. Even if it’s not explicitly illegal, the Navajo would probably sue over having their New Mexican territory cut in half like that. It’s not like I’m an expert in New Mexican politics, but I doubt that there’s the political will to deal with something like that.
Other than that, though, this isn’t that bad of a bad plan. Get’s the job done for sure. Harry Teague would probably face a primary, but that’s not the end of the world.
It’s not quite in the same category as your legendary (infamous?) New York map, but still.
Don’t worry about the VRA as you do CA