Interesting article in the SGV Tribune about possible new state assembly, state senate, and congressional districts for us in the San Gabriel Valley.
Interestingly, they actually are thinking along the lines I was for a new Asian American plurality district. The map the Tribune has on-line is not detailed enough for me to be sure, but it looks like one district is composed of Rosemead, South San Gabriel, San Gabriel, Arcadia, San Marino, San Gabriel, Monterey Park, Alhambra, and maybe parts of Montebello. Basically, it's Mike Eng's district, minus El Monte and South El Monte and adding Arcadia and San Marino.
Judy Chu's congressional district would also become more Asian and less Hispanic, as it becomes a crescent-shaped district sweeping from Arcadia over through Pasadena (but not South Pas), then come down through Alhambra, San Gabriel, Rosemead, Monterey Park, and South El Monte, then sweeps east into the Puente Hills, picking up Hacienda Heights and La Habra, Rowland Heights, Diamond Bar, and apparently small slices of of north Orange and west San Bernardino Counties. It then curls back around and picks up Walnut.
Although it's an Asian-plurality district (44%), it combines the some of the richest Asians around (San Marino) with the poorest (Rosemead and South El Monte).
It's largely the "logical" disticts I would have drawn for us, but it does beg the question of whether working class Asians in Rosemead and South El Monte have more in common with millionaire Asians in San Marino or working class Hispanics in El Monte.
That's a biased article. I
That's a biased article.
I heard that the Republicans were gunning a lot harder to get seats than the Democrats. The article makes it look like a Democrat power grab, when what's probably happening is that a Republican power grab was thwarted by the minority groups and the Voting Rights Act (note, of course, that these minorities are a majority in the SGV and most of LA).
I wonder what the politicians will be like after this. I suspect they're going to tilt more moderate.
I meant the SGVN article
I meant the news article, not the blog post here.
I agree about the Asian wealth issue. I think an all-Asian area would push Chu to be more moderate and centrist. Right now, she's a solid liberal, and kind of over on the left. On the other hand, it makes her untouchable - she'd get the San Marino money and knock out competitors.
For that reason alone, I'd like to see some more poor folks in the Chu district.
Republicans think the
Republicans think the commission will help them pick up seats, but I'm not so sure. We live in a pretty segregated state, so even if you try to ignore partisan registration, there are going to be some heavily Democratic districts. I'd be kind of happy if this backfires on them and they discover that they have not only fail to pick up any safe seats, but also lose some previously-safe districts.
I also thought this
I also thought this commission would lead to more Republican seats. No one has voted and the lines aren't official, so we'll have to wait and see. But the current conventional wisdom is that the new lines will get the Democrats a net 4-seat pick-up.
Just read that seiu is going
Just read that seiu is going to support moderate republicans in red districts. I dont know what that means. Maybe they mean knocking out tea party types.
Top two election system means
Top two election system means supporting moderate R if that's the only alternative in the general election.