Census Data Shows GOP-Leaning States Will Pick Up House Seats
- Posted on December 21, 2010 at 12:59pm by
Jonathon M. Seidl
- Print »
- Email »
A map showing the new break down of House seats. (Photo: US Census Bureau)
Republican-leaning states will pick up a half dozen House seats thanks to the 2010 census, which found that the nation’s population is growing in GOP-heavy areas such as the South and West.
The Census Bureau announced Tuesday that the nation’s population on April 1 was 308,745,538, up from 281.4 million a decade ago. The growth rate for the past decade was 9.7 percent, which is a slightly slower pace than the 13.2 percent population increase from 1990 to 2000.
The new numbers are a boon for Republicans, with Texas leading the way among GOP-leaning states that will gain House seats at the Rust Belt’s expense. Following each once-a-decade census, the nation must reapportion the House’s 435 districts to make them roughly equal in population, with each state getting at least one seat.
That “redistricting” will likely favor the GOP this year, which as the ruling House party has the power to draw new congressional district lines.
Because of the census, Texas will gain four new House seats, and Florida will gain two. Gaining one each are Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, South Carolina, Utah and Washington.
Ohio and New York will lose two House seats each. Losing one House seat are Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Florida will now have as many U.S. House members as New York: 27. California will still have 53 seats, and Texas will climb to 36.
According to FoxNews.com, that means Florida could overtake Ohio as an even bigger swing state.
In 2008, President Barack Obama lost in Texas and most of the other states that are gaining House seats. He carried most of the states that are losing House seats, including Ohio and Pennsylvania. Each House district represents an electoral vote in the presidential election process, meaning the political map for the 2012 election will tilt somewhat more Republican.
For the first time in its history, Democratic-leaning California will not gain a House seat after a census.
Starting early next year, most state governments will use detailed, computer-generated data on voting patterns to carve neighborhoods in or out of newly drawn House districts, tilting them more to the left or right. Sometimes politicians play it safe, quietly agreeing to protect Republican and Democratic incumbents alike. But sometimes the party in control will gamble and aggressively try to reconfigure the map to dump as many opponents as possible.
Last month’s elections put Republicans in full control of numerous state governments, giving the GOP an overall edge in the redistricting process. State governments’ ability to gerrymander districts is somewhat limited, however, by court rulings that require roughly equal populations, among other things. The 1965 Voting Rights Act protects ethnic minorities in several states that are subject to U.S. Justice Department oversight.
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs sought Monday to downplay the possibility that 2010 census results would be a boon for Republicans. “I don‘t think shifting some seats from one area of the country to another necessarily marks a concern that you can’t make a politically potent argument in those new places,” he said.
States losing political clout may have little recourse to challenge the census numbers. Still, census officials were bracing for the possibility of lawsuits seeking to revise the 2010 findings.
The release of state apportionment numbers is the first set of numbers from the 2010 census. Beginning in February, the Census Bureau will release population and race breakdowns down to the neighborhood level for states to redraw congressional boundaries.
Louisiana, Virginia, New Jersey and Mississippi will be among the first states to receive their redistricting data in February.
The 2010 census results also are used to distribute more than $400 billion in annual federal aid and will change each state’s Electoral College votes beginning in the 2012 presidential election.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Popular Stories
Does Misstated Marathon Claim Prove Paul Ryan Is Dishonest? (POLL) 669 Comments
‘Jumah at the DNC’ Speaker: ‘Muslims Visited America Prior to Columbus’ & ‘It Was a Muslim’ Who Guided Him to the ‘New World’ 525 Comments
Paper Details Obama Admin’s Alleged Secret Note Sent to Iran: If Israel Attacks, We Won’t Get Involved 384 Comments
Obama: RNC Like Watching ‘Black-and-White TV’ Because Romney ‘Did Not Offer a Single New Idea’ 365 Comments
Roseanne Barr: Most Billionaires ‘Violent Pedophiles’ & ‘Heartless’ Cocaine Addicts 327 Comments
Faith
This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 254 Comments- Pakistani Muslim Cleric Accused of Framing Disabled Christian Girl in Koran-Burning Case Read More
- ‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 263 Comments
Meet the Controversial German Imam Accused of Brutally Beating His Wife & Pushing Sharia Law Read More
‘Self-Proclaimed Messiah’ & Unification Church Leader the Rev. Sun Myung Moon Has Died — Here’s His Life Story Read More
Business
President Obama Issues Major ‘Green Energy’ Executive Order 114 Comments- Germany’s Upcoming Court Ruling Will be Huge for the EU Read More
Ford Looks to Beat Toyota for Best-Selling Car in 2012 With This Model 147 Comments
Bernanke & QE3: Here’s What You Need to Know Read More- ‘Extortion’: Why Did the Labor Department ‘Drop the Hammer’ on Oregon Farmers? 300 Comments
Technology
- This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 254 Comments
‘TaserDrone’: Hackers Weaponize Quadcopter With Actual ‘Shocking’ Technology Read More
Ever Heard of the Wild ‘Burning Man’ Festival in the Middle of the Nev. Desert? Here’s Your Primer Read More
Stanford Develops Technology ‘Better Than Steroids’ for Athlete Recovery Read More
Have You Pretended to Know What ‘the Cloud’ Is? You’re Not Alone Read More
Submitting your tip... please wait!
Comments (91)
just the facts
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 2:23pmI assume, and I know what assumptions are, sometimes big screw ups, that the people moving out of the ‘blue’ states are more of a conservative nature. There are many possible reasons for this but the first and foremost that can be derived is that we conservatives ‘think things out’ a little more and in most cases, many times well roundly better informed.
Remember, if that is the case, those who do not move produce a deeper blue state. Those red states may be taxed to keep those in the blue states alive and in a survival mode. (For every action there is a reaction.)
Question::: Is this a way to “separate” the classes?? Was “separation” a planned factor in a bigger picture in a progressive movement??
Report Post »C.C.D.
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 2:14pmAs soon as I sell everything, I’m moving to Texas. If all conservatives on the East and West coast were to leave the liberals to their own demise, we could concentrate middle America. And when they progress themselves into total destruction, we could gather them all up and send them to Venezuela, where they all could live together and sing Kumbaya…
Report Post »betterthantv
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 2:28pmI may not be far behind you. Georgia is a solid Red State but you would never know it working inside the perimeter every day. Atlanta has it’s fair share of the moocher class for sure!! Texas looks better and better everyday. I’ve been watching the politics there for a while now. Few more steps in the right direction and it may be time to go!
Report Post »SlimnRanger
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 5:13pmwell if ya’ll move to Texas go to the Red River and give us Okies a howdy do,i enjoy Texas but i despise Dallas and Ft Worth is a real fun place to be kick up yer heels do some 2 stepping,i always wondered why the folks in Ft Worth we re nice and friendly and the folks in Dallas are rude and arrogant? maybe a Texan on here can answer that for me
Report Post »bw3249
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 2:10pmI’m confused. Where in the Constitution does it say that representative apportionment will be based on “detailed, computer-generated data on voting patterns”. It seems to me that districts can be computer-generated based on contiguous blocks population and nothing else. Neither party should have an advantage or a guarantee that they will gain or loose status.
Report Post »jackrorabbit
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 7:24pmThat is the way it was intended. It was set up to be a block and then the person chosen from there. I don’t know when Gerrymandering started, but I think it is time to learn.
Report Post »TeaPartyPatriot
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 1:53pmIn general, HIGH TAX states (i.e., those that have been controlled by tax-and-spend lunatic-left d-crat socialists) will lose congressional seats, while LOW TAX states (i.e., those that have been controlled by responsible politicians) gain.
Gee, what a surprise !
Report Post »taxedenuf
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 1:41pmI live in Missouri and I am anxiously awaiting this redistricting. We have 3 democrat districts, 2 black districts in St Louis and Kansas City, and 1 gerrymandered district which just barely won by finding some late night ballots. Since the two black districts are mandated by law, and since the state house is republican, I see one less dem congressman in the picture in 2012.
Report Post »skimmer57
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 1:59pmExcellent you will have more votes to go against the first responder bill and to filibuster anything that doesn’t give the vastly rich tax breaks. You should be very excited.
CaptainSpaulding
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 1:41pmAfter ruining their home states, radical leftists move on to other areas…..
Report Post »bigdaddybernie
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 2:36pmSEE : Big Daddy Bernie……further down !
Report Post »Redsox4u
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 1:39pmtest
Report Post »Redsox4u
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 1:38pmI love this site! but HP is more fun! I got kicked of but it was fun!!!!!! Not as much fun when you agree with what everyone is saying!!!!
Report Post »LOVEFREEDOM47
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 1:35pmWhat are the abortion rates in these states? That may have something to do with these numbers.
Report Post »Grandpa
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 1:32pmY’all come on in before we close the Texas gates
Report Post »TexasCommonSense
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 3:16pmConservatives only, please. Bring your guns!
Report Post »dudeman4
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 6:28pmDon’t forget Utah. Liberalism practically is non-existant in the good ol’ Beehive State.
Report Post »TexasCommonSense
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 7:54pmYes sir, Utah is another fine state.
Report Post »republitarian
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 1:29pmNew lines will be drawn by our state representatives and the process is rich with shenanigans. Watch them closely and be involved.
Report Post »skimmer57
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 1:29pmStill nothing on the blaze about how the GOP filibustered the first responders bill! Republicans sure got the tax breaks for the vastly rich. Right after 9-11 the leadership praised the fireman and police for the heroism that they showed-united we will stand—–that is until the almighty dollar is involved. Total hypocrites, shameful money hungry punks. You will not see any reporting of this on the blaze too busy beating that dead horse Van Jones or Barney Frank. The Filibuster Party must be very proud!
Maverick-Patriot
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 3:54pmSkimmer – I love your talking point about the rich getting tax breaks, but just out of curisosity could you please define rich, because I’m not rich and I got a great tax break. Oh that’s right your idea of rich; if you work and pay taxes. Unlike you who SKIM from the public trough your entire life. But just incase you are not one to SKIM from the public trough and are a rich liberal how about we start by confiscating ALL of your assests and handing them out to those who SKIM. That should give you a warm fuzzy.
Report Post »jackrorabbit
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 7:21pmI can tell you why they “blocked it”. They blocked every bill, except for the tax cut(which Obama even backed, so nix to your Republican loving the rich bit) and they would have voted on a budget, which the Democrats failed to pass before the election, when it was due, and then tried to ram another poc down our throat at the last moment. If the democrats had taken care of the ACTUAL business of congress, I am certain that the conservatives would have been happy to pass that legislation.
Report Post »Unlike liberals, when a conservative says something i.e. “Nothing will get passed until the tax issue and budget are dealt with”, they actually mean it. Now that it has passed, have we seen Harry or Nancy bring the bill back up? Huh? Did they? Nope, they moved to START treaty and Clinton’s “Don’t ask, Don’t tell” bill. So where is their compassion? They are in charge, and they could have brought it back up, but they didn’t. So stick it where the sun don’t shine, because that is all that they are worth.
the_ancient
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 1:27pmSomething is funny in CA, with the amount of legal resident exodus they should have lost at least 1 seat…. Illegals are the game changer….
Report Post »CatB
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 2:17pmExactly .. California‘s only saving was that illegals aren’t counted except as residents .. so the government once again doesn’t care if you are illegal … you still count. … ugh!
Report Post »JohnQTaxpayer
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 1:27pmNew York is going to lose two progressive communists Marxist so called representatives
YAHOOOOOOOOO
And I live in the Peoples Oligarchy of New York
Report Post »flashk
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 1:26pmAs the pendulum swings so goes the liberals, bye-bye !
Report Post »Lantern
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 1:21pmI hope those lost Ohio seats are in the liberal North and North-West areas of Cleveland and Youngstown.
Report Post »Ironmaan
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 1:17pmIts nice that things are moving the Republicans way, but I would just say that a very close eye needs to put on those in power and how they vote. As long as the energy behind Nov‘s election stays intact we’ll be OK. If not the long Bataan death march toward socialism and loss of liberty continues. guerillatics.com
Report Post »Iowa_man
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 1:13pmBeing from Iowa, I can see why we lost seats. This state used to have some common sense. The last 8 years we have been falling down the rabbit hole, people are leaving and we are not growing. We just elected a republican governor who has lead the state before to greener pastures. Hopefully, our decline will be slowed and with the rejection of some our our more liberal progressive state legislators, we might actually reverse the trend.
Report Post »tanker
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 11:54pmdon’t get your hopes up– our rep party is way to loaded w/ rhinos- & aren’t we proud of dung heap harkin
Report Post »J.C. McGlynn
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 1:13pmThe demonacrats think there is grid lock now just wait till January, 2011.
Report Post »Bauervision
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 1:13pmKeep it coming, I see the light, I see the light!
Now if we can keep Congress from getting anymore of our money until they pass a budget–then actually stick to it, make dramatic cuts in spending, and remove the entitlement mentality that has destroyed the liberal population of this country we might start seeing some real hope and change.
Report Post »NoMoreGray
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 1:13pmThey will be getting one from us (MI). People have been fleeing this beautiful state, busted by the unions, bought by the fed Gov., dragged down hill by a progressive Governor from Canada. We are making perhaps are last attempt to undo the liberal damage electing conservatives to all post. So if this works we will be happy to get our Rep. back, but until then I am happy to allow our voices to be heard from one of those GOP leaning states.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 2:13pmYes … Jenny – I was “BLOWN AWAY” right out of the state … one term of that progressive was enough for me.
Report Post »daylee
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 1:13pmWatch out for the state AG’s in the states which lost districts
Report Post »pajamash
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 1:10pmThank God! Let’s keep the trend going and bring it to left leaning states. Hmmm, why would this be a trend?…..Because the true American System works!!!!!
Report Post »D-Fence
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 1:39pmPAJAMASH You hit the nail right on the head. Knowing the path and walking it are two totaly different things. These republicans who govern with progressive colored glasses are elitest and know nothing about market principles. You give the market a sign that the Feds will pick up the slack on health care, and shazam, they, corporations, will shift the burden to the recipient who then looks to the government to fill the void. This also applies to wages.
Report Post »NickDeringer
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 1:10pmIt’s not surprising to see Texas gaining and Massachusetts losing. BTW, gang, Massachusetts is the home of RomneyCare. Apparently it hasn’t created the health care utopia everyone predicted.
Report Post »Cuthalu
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 1:16pmProbably because the people who are the ones being heavily taxed to fund it are jumping ship there. My guess at least.
Report Post »pajamash
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 1:16pmNick, my companies health care premium went up 30 percent this year. If you add the increase in deductible it is over 50 percent. Is that all ObamaCare? NO. But ObamaCare gave the corporate heads the opening to shift more of the health care costs to us…the middle class. Thanks to all of our representatives that followed the lead of RomneyCare which became ObamaCare. Another Blaze piece talked about how a Dem rep stated how America is becoming a Bannana Republic. The reason sure isn’t capitalism it is these left leaning representatives that keep pushing legislation down our throats that inhibits capitalism.
Report Post »vennoye
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 1:18pmThe company I worked for had/has employees in Massachusetts when RomneyCare was ushered in….anybody who knew anything about health insurance knew that the program was going to be a disaster. You could have an insurance plan for your employees for about $4500.00 per year, or you could pay the state to cover them for a penality of about $290.00 per year……duh……guess what the company decided to do!! That is just ONE reason why Romney is not who I will back in 2012.
Report Post »123abc
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 1:04pmThe reign of liberalism takes another huge blow! I love it!
Report Post »pajamash
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 1:11pmWoot! Woot for the right!!!
Report Post »cubber
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 1:15pmIt’s not liberalism we are fighting. It is the progressive movement. The ALL have to go. Let’s hope there is something left by 2012. BE PREPARED.
Report Post »ltb
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 2:09pmLet’s not get lazy and complacent though. We need to destroy Liberalism / Progressivism / Socialism / Communism / No-Labelism in America once and for all. Keep hitting them while they are down and don’t stop until this cancer has been completely eradicated from America.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 2:11pmThis is why they wanted ACORN running the Census …. like they did registering people to vote .. thank GOD they were outed for what they are before it was too late.
Report Post »@leftfighter
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 2:11pmNot so fast! This also means that the freaks are moving to the red states.
You know what happens when progressives leave cesspools of progressivism because it’s gone too far? They start turning their new states into the cellpools of progressivism they just left.
God help us in red state America.
Report Post »CultureWarriors
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 2:14pmThe libertards will have to commit even more fraud to elected. If that is possible!
Report Post »snowleopard3200 {mix art}
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 2:32pmIndeed, it is Progressivism we are in the fight against. Their cause may have just taken a severe hit, yet they will have one or more plans in effect to try and neutralize this effort. Remember what the great (augh) Soros declared; the voters do not matter, it is who certifies the votes who matter. And right now, they are mostly in HIS pocket.
http://www.artinphoenix.com/gallery/grimm
Report Post »rpp
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 3:57pmI expect HUGE battles, like what we saw in Texas in 2000 where the Democrats in the State House actually traveled out of state and refused to participate preventing the State House to have a quorum and therefore, halting the redistricting.
Never for the core focus and guiding principle of the progressives, “The ends justifies the means.”
Report Post »dwh320
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 4:01pmIt’s far from over. One thing we should have all learned about Obama and the Progressives is that they offer one story but behind the seams they have a play in the works to gain control.
This lame duck congress shows that clear as day. The Progressive (Democrat AND Republican) are busy shoving in as much as they can to destroy the foundations of our nation. If you think for one moment that the electoral college will not be changed by slick tricks with the Census your a fool.
Look at what they have done in just two years.. Nationalized most of the auto industry, nationalized health care, Nationalized most of the financial system, nationalized upper education, doubled the national debt, passed DADT, and now they have passed the START treaty without review and limited debate,
It will take generations to clean up the mess Progressives have created in just two years.
Report Post »Stephen
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 4:10pmNot that it matters 99% of Congress is corrupt and willing to take all our freedoms if given the chance. We the People need to vote for real change.
Report Post »independentvoteril
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 4:55pmWell as I have stated my husband and I are putting the feelers out for a new state to live move to .. we were just to UT this past summer.. AZ is where my sister in law lives first we will be checking out the taxes in each state.. Long before the next Census IL will be losing MORE people and they will be the ones with the money paying the taxes.. all that will be left are illegals and Progressives..
Report Post »TXPilot
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 5:11pmAt this point, I will take whatever good news is offered.
Report Post »guyperram
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 7:26pmThere was the most wonderful story out of northern Ohio today. It appears that the marxist Dennis Kucinech D OH may need a new job.
Report Post »My heart would go out to him but he is covered with a terrific penison and health insurance at the taxpayers expense, for the rest of his life.
Comrads, isn’t marxism terrific!
DagneyT
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 8:13pmBHO has got to be hating that Texas gets 4, count them FOUR new congressional seats! I‘m lovin’ it!
Report Post »kindling
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 8:43pmCan you imagine if the census had been done legally and honestly? The Republicans would have probably done even better. We can make a difference!
Report Post »