Redistricting of Illinois is coming soon, and here's my 2 cents on this issue: create a Central IL/Colleges District, which should be at least Lean D, make it tougher for Dan Lipinksi, take out any 3 of Schock, Kinzinger, Dold, Walsh, Manzullo, Biggert, and/or Roskam via votesinks, put all of Chinatown in one district, and improve Costello's district for the Dems.
Illinois Statewide Map:
NOTE: Anything below 54.8% Obama (below 49-52 Kerry) is a Safe R district. Deviations are within 4,000.
Chicagoland:
District 1 (Blue):
Bobby Rush (D)
Counties: Cook
Major Cities: South Side of Chicago, Alsip, Midlothian, Country Club Hills, Palos Heights, Tinley Park
Total: 32.0% W, 52.4% B, 13.2% H, 1.2% A
18+ (VAP): 35.0% W, 51.6% B, 11.2% H, 1.2% A
PVI: D+39.3, Ultra-Safe D
Ob/Mc: 81.2-18.2, Obama [VRA]
Pop: 710,574
Dev: -2,239
District 2 (Green):
Jesse Jackson, Jr (D), Debbie Halvorson (D) [more than likely to run in Joliet-based IL 13]
Counties: Cook, Will.
Major Cities: South/SE Chicago, Calumet City, Chicago Heights, Harvey, Homer Glen, Orland Hills, South Shore, University Park
Total: 28.2% W, 57.2% B, 11.9% H, 1.1% A
18+ (VAP): 31.3% W, 55.8% B, 10.4% H, 1.2% A
PVI: D+36.3, Ultra-Safe D
Ob/Mc: 82.2-17.2, Obama [VRA]
Pop: 711,060
Dev: -1,753
District 3 (Indigo):
Dan Lipinski (D), Jon Atkinson (D)
Counties: Cook, DuPage, Will.
Major Cities: SW Chicago, Berwyn, Bridgeview, Bollingbrook, Cicero, Darien, Lemont
Total: 59.1% W, 4.7% B, 31.5% H, 3.4% A
18+ (VAP): 64.2% W, 4.5% B, 27.0% H, 3.6% A
PVI: D+13.4, Safe D
Ob/Mc: 59.3-39.5, Obama
Pop: 710,811
Dev: -2,002
District 4 (Red):
Luis Gutiérrez (D)
Counties: Cook, DuPage
Major Cities: Bellwood, Elmwood Park, Pilsen, Westchester
Total: 24.4% W, 5.7% B, 65.3% H, 3.5% A
18+ (VAP): 29.4% W, 6.0% B, 59.6% H, 4.0% A
PVI: D+43.2, Ultra-Safe D
Ob/Mc: 80.3-18.4, Obama [VRA]
Pop: 714,928
Dev: +2,115
District 5 (Dark Khaki):
Mike Quigley (D)
Counties: Cook, DuPage
Major Cities: N Chicago, Bensenville, Elk Grove Village, Rosemont, Wrigleyville
Total: 65.4% W, 2.7% B, 22.5% H, 7.4% A
18+ (VAP): 69.2% W, 2.6% B, 19.1% H, 7.6% A
PVI: D+27.4, Ultra-Safe D
Ob/Mc: 70.6-28.0, Obama
Pop: 714,724
Dev: +1,911
District 6 (Cadet Blue):
Peter Roskam (R)/Judy Biggert (R)/Randy Hultgren (R)
Counties: Cook, DuPage
Major Cities: Addison, Carol Stream, Downers Grove, Hanover Park, Hinsdale, Lombard, Wheaton, West Chicago, Winfield
Total: 70.0% W, 3.6% B, 15.5% H, 9.2% A
18+ (VAP): 73.3% W, 3.3% B, 13.1% H, 9.2% A
PVI: R+3.8, Likely R (Though beginning to trend somewhat leftward at the Presidential level)
Ob/Mc: 55.0-43.6, Obama (Bush most likely won this district)
Pop: 711,258
Dev: -1,555
District 7 (RoyalBlue):
Danny Davis (D)
Counties: Cook
Major Cities: Bridgeport, Chinatown, Downtown Chicago, Loop, Oak Park, Maywood
Total: 31.8% W, 48.6% B, 10.5% H, 7.2% A
18+ (VAP): 36.0% W, 45.1% B, 9.3% H, 8.0% A
PVI: D+45, Ultra-Safe D
Ob/Mc: 88.3-11.1, Obama [VRA-Coalition]
Pop: 709,661
Dev: -3,152
District 9 (Cyan):
Jan Schakowsky (D), Bob Dold (R) [Unlikely to run here. He'll run in Waukegan-based IL-10]
Counties: Cook, Lake
Major Cities: Des Plaines, Evanston, Kenilworth, Niles, Skokie, Wilmette, Winnetka
Total: 62.6% W, 8.7% B, 11.9% H, 14.4% A
18+ (VAP): 64.9% W, 8.5% B, 10.2% H, 14.4% A
PVI: D+21.6, Safe D
Ob/Mc: 70.3-28.5, Obama
Pop: 716,110
Dev: +3,297
District 10 (Firebrick):
Ilya Sheyman (D), Bob Dold (R)
Counties: Cook, Lake
Major Cities: Gurnee, Hoffman Estates, Lake Forest, Mt. Prospect, Mundelein, Palatine, Schaumburg, Waukegan, Wheeling, Zion
Total: 63.1% W, 6.1% B, 19.1% H, 9.7% A
18+ (VAP): 67.2% W, 5.8% B, 16.0% H, 9.7% A
PVI: D+8.4, Likely D
Ob/Mc: 61.1-37.1, Obama (and trending leftward means that this district will be in Democratic hands)
Pop: 716,419
Dev: +3,600
District 13 (Dark Salmon):
Debbie Halvorson (D)
Counties: DuPage, Grundy, Kendall, Will
Major Cities: Joliet, Naperville, New Lenox, Oswego, Plainfield, Plano, Yorkville
Total: 65.2% W, 9.6% B, 16.0% H, 6.9% A
18+ (VAP): 69.0% W, 9.3% B, 13.7% H, 6.8% A
PVI: D+3.5, Lean to Likely D
Ob/Mc: 57.5-41.3, Obama (and trending leftward)
Pop: 712,760
Dev: -53
District 14 (Olive):
Bill Foster (D)
Counties: Cook, DeKalb, Kane, Kendall, Lake
Major Cities: Aurora, Batavia, DeKalb, Elgin, Geneva, Streamwood, Sycamore
Total: 61.6% W, 5.5% B, 26.5% H, 4.9% A
18+ (VAP): 66.4% W, 5.1% B, 22.5% H, 5.0% A
PVI: D+4.6, Likely D
Ob/Mc: 56.1-42.6, Obama (and trending leftward)
Pop: 716,810
Dev: +3,997
Northern IL:
District 8 (Light Steel Blue):
Joe Walsh (R)/Donald Manzullo (R)
Counties: Boone, Lake, McHenry, Ogle, Winnebago
Major Cities: Algonquin, Egan, Crystal Lake, Harvard, Lake Zurich, Rochelle, McHenry, Woodstock
Total: 78.8% W, 2.2% B, 13.8% H, 3.6% A
18+ (VAP): 82.1% W, 2.0% B, 11.4% H, 3.5% A
PVI: R+8.8, Safe R
Ob/Mc: 52.2-46.4, Obama (Kerry lost this district)
Pop: 715,714
Dev: +2,901
District 11 (Deep Pink):
Aaron Schock (R)/Adam Kinzinger (R)
Counties: Bureau, DeKalb, Grundy, Henry, Iroqouis, Kankakee, Kendall, LaSalle, Lee, Livingston, Marshall, McLean, Peoria, Putnam, Stark, Tazewell, Vermillion, Will, Woodford
Major Cities: Danville, Dixon, Kewanee, Morris, Morton, Pontiac, Princeton, Sandwich, Streator
Total: 87.3% W, 5.1% B, 5.3% H, 0.9% A
18+ (VAP): 89.4% W, 4.7% B, 4.1% H, 0.9% A
PVI: R+13.7, Safe R
Ob/Mc: 45.8-52.5, McCain
Pop: 710,307
Dev: -2,576
District 16 (Chartreuse):
Bobby Schilling (R), Phil Hare (D), Open (D)
Counties: Boone, Caroll, Henry, Jo Daviess, Lee, Mercer, Rock Island, Stephenson, Whiteside, Winnebago
Major Cities: Belvidere, Freeport, Galena, La Salle, Machesney Park, Moline, Ottawa, Peru, Rockford, Rock Island, South Beloit, Sterling
Total: 78.7% W, 7.7% B, 10.1% H, 1.5% A
18+ (VAP): 82.8% W, 6.8% B, 7.9% H, 1.5% A
PVI: D+3.7, Likely D
Ob/Mc: 56.7-41.8, Obama
Pop: 711,392
Dev: -1,421
Central/Southern IL:
District 12 (Cornflower Blue) [My home district]:
Jerry Costello (D), Jay Hoffman (D)
Counties: Alexander, Calhoun, Franklin, Jackson, Jersey, Macoupin, Madison, Monroe, Montgomery, Perry, Pulaski, Randolph, St. Clair, Union
Major Cities: Alton, Belleville, Cairo, Carbondale, Carlinville, Chester, Collinsville, Du Quoin, East St. Louis, Edwardsville, Granite City, Litchfield, Murphysboro, O'Fallon, Scott AFB, Waterloo
Total: 77.1% W, 16.9% B, 2.9% H, 1.1% A
18+ (VAP): 79.6% W, 15.5% B, 2.4% H, 1.1% A
PVI: D+3.0, Safe D
Ob/Mc: 56.8-41.6, Obama
Pop: 709,337
Dev: -3,476
District 15 (Dark Orange):
Tim Johnson (R)
Counties: Champaign, Clay, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, DeWitt, Douglas, Edgar, Edwards, Effingham, Ford, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jasper, Jefferson, Johnson, Lawrence, Logan, Macon, Marshall, Massac, Moultrie, Piatt, Pope, Pulaski, Richland, Saline, Union, Vermillon, Wabash, Washington, Wayne, White, Williamson,
Major Cities: Carmi, Charleston, Effingham, Fairfield, Flora, Harrisburg, Herrin, Lincoln, Marion, Mattoon, Metropolis, Mt. Carmel, Mt. Vernon, Nashville, Olney, Paris, Rantoul, Tuscola
Total: 92.9% W, 3.1% B, 2.0% H, 0.6% A
18+ (VAP): 93.7% W, 3.2% B, 1.7% H, 0.6% A
PVI: R+23.5, Ultra-Safe R
Ob/Mc: 41.6-56.6, McCain
Pop: 711,408
Dev: -1,405
District 17 (Dark Steel Blue):
Tim Johnson (R) (Though he'll run in IL-15), Open (D)
Counties: Champaign, Fulton, Logan, Macon, Mason, McLean, McDonough, Peoria, Piatt, Sangamon, Tazewell
Major Cities: Bloomington, Canton, Champaign, Decatur, East Peoria, Havana, Macomb, Normal, Pekin, Peoria, Springfield, Urbana
Total: 75.4% W, 13.9% B, 3.9% H, 4.3% A
18+ (VAP): 78.7% W, 12.0% B, 3.3% H, 4.5% A
PVI: D+2.1, Tossup to Lean D
Ob/Mc: 58.0-40.2, Obama
Pop: 713,058
Dev: +245
District 18 (Yellow):
John Shimkus (R)
Counties: Adams, Bond, Brown, Cass, Christian, Clinton, Fayette, Fulton, Greene, Hancock, Henderson, Jefferson, Jersey, Knox, Macon, Macoupin, Madison, Marion, McDonough, Menard, Montgomery, Morgan, Pike, Sangamon, Schuyler, Scott, Shelby, Warren, Washington
Major Cities: Beardstown, Carlyle, Centralia, Chatham, Galesburg, Greenvile, Highland, Jacksonville, Jerseyville, Monmouth, Quincy, Pittsfield, Salem, Shelbyville, Taylorville, Troy, Vandalia
Total: 91.6% W, 3.9% B, 2.2% H, 0.8% A
18+ (VAP): 92.8% W, 3.7% B, 1.9% H, 0.7% A
PVI: R+18.2, Safe R
Ob/Mc: 46.2-52.1, McCain
Pop: 713,473
Dev: +660