From 2003 until the middle of this year, Georgia's Congressional Districts stood out as abstract artwork. That's a generous way to describe them. I might risk some scorn, but the districts were an attempt to squeeze as many Democrats out as possible. Granted, this is Georgia, where they tried to gerrymander Newt and then ended up losing half of the Democratic delegation.
So, basically the new map in Georgia is one that should provide some subtle changes (for some) or serious problems (for others).
Under the flip is the new map, and I will go though the changes on a district level
And the big end is the answers to "DOES THE CONGRESSMAN FOR THIS DISTRICT STILL LIVE IN THE DISTRICT?"
The new map:
Larger map here: http://www.cviog.uga.edu/...
Now, let's go to the districts.
GA-01 (Kingston, R)
Map here
Additions: More of Lowndes county (59/39 Bush), Telfair county (57/42 Bush), Wheeler County (58/41 Bush), Bryan County (73/26 Bush), a little bit of Chatham county
Subtractions: Wilcox County/Pulaski County/Houston County (the rattail on the Northwest part)
Verdict: This district is probably slightly more Dem-friendly, which is like saying that a pitbull is better than a mountain lion. GA-12 loses a big Republican county to GA-01 too.
GA-02 (Bishop, D)
Map here
Additions: Dooly County (51/48 Kerry), Schley County (69/30 Bush), Macon County (61/39 Kerry), Marion County (74/26 Bush), Talbot County (62/37 Kerry), Taylor County (56/43 Bush), Crawford County (64/35 Bush), Peach County (53/46 Bush)
Subtractions: Colquitt County (71/29 Bush), Tift County (69/31 Bush), Turner County (61/38 Bush)
Verdict: Bishop gets more Dems (continued on GA-03 verdict). Also, they can't do much to Bishop, at least they can't if Republicans don't let the voting rights act die in 2007.
GA-03 (Marshall, D)
Map here
Additions: Lots of stuff
Subtractions: Lots of stuff
Look at where GA-03 goes. Marshall doesn't even live in GA-03 anymore. He was the mayor of Macon (Bibb County), which is GA-08.
Verdict: (continued from GA-02) and Marshall gets screwed. Honestly, just throw your hands up in the hair. GA-03 is now a mix of GA-08 (Westmoreland) and GA-11 (Gingrey). Killing the "Spaghetti Monster District", and screwing up the dynamics too.
GA-04 (McKinney, D)
Map here
Additions/Subtractions: Honestly, nothing major. But, I don't know any hidden dynamics here. Cynthia loses some of DeKalb and gets some other parts of Atlanta.
Verdict: Only a primary can stop Cynthia, and that's still possible.
GA-05 (Lewis, D)
Map here
+/-: Nothing major.
Verdict: Lewis in 2006 and beyond.
GA-06 (Price, R)
Map here
Additions: Cherokee County
Subtractions: Price loses some of Cobb county
Verdict: Suburban exodus in district-form.
From now on, I go into a more general summary
GA-07 (Linder, R)
Map here
Linder loses everything west of Gwinnett county. He gets some more of Walton and Barrow too.
GA-08 (Westmoreland, R)
Map here
GA-08 gets a lot of the old GA-03 and they also get Jim Marshall.. but that's spoiling the end here. Basically, the did some squeezing and tweeking.
GA-09 (Norwood, R)
Map here
If you've checked the map, you'll find that GA-09 in this congress will be GA-10 in the next congress. Yes, Georgia decided to also make the numbering very comples. Thanks George.
GA-10 (Deal, R)
Map here
And what was once the 10th will be the 9th.
GA-11 (Gingrey, R)
Map here
The 11th is easier to draw, which means that something nefarious went on. Sorry for the short lines here.
GA-12 (Barrow, D)
Map here
Barrow loses Athens and gets a lot of Republican districts. In other words, he's a target here.
And GA-13 (Scott, D)
Map here
Price loses a spider and gets a compact area around Atlanta.
So the big end..
since Congressmen are advised to live in their districts (not a rule though).. let's break it down..
- Kingston is billed as a Savannah resident, which means he probably still lives in the district.
- Bishop probably lives in Columbus (his wife is elected to an office there). So he's still in his district.
- Nope. Marshall's in the 8th District now.
04/05: Yep, if it matters much.
- Yep. Price is from Roswell, and that appears to still be in his district.
- Maybe (but not if he resides in Tucker). More than likely, he can find something in Gwinnett.
- Nope. Westmoreland's Coweta County home is now in the 3rd district.
09/10: Nope. Norwood is now in the 10th and Deal is now in the 9th.
- Yep. Marietta is still in Gingrey's district.
- Nope. Barrow, if he resides in Athens, is now in the 10th district, which is Norwood's district.
- Probably.
To summarize
#1 - Marshall to the New 8th
#2 - Westmoreland to the New 3rd
#3 - Barrow and Norwood to the 10th
#4 - Deal to the 9th
#5 - Marshall and Barrow are the targets.
#6 - Barrow will have a tough race against Norwood.
#7 - Don't believe Politics1 when they claim Majette as a candidate for the 12th, they mean the 13th.
Actual Georgians should give out more comments, and if any of you know the Bush/Kerry breakdown of the new districts, post it ASAP.
Ok, that's all.
Update #1: From a quick search, apparently Barrow is going to go with Plan A (Move into his new district and beat on Max Burns) instead of Plan B (Stay in Athens and risk a tougher battle. Good plan John.