 It looks like Michele Bachmann's not going away any time soon. She's announced her plan to run for re-election in the Sixth District. Her chances of winning again there this year look better than ever as a result of the court's congressional redistricting map, released today.
CORRECTION:
A commenter wrote in and told me that my reading of the state map is incorrect--that my hometown of Stillwater is no longer in the Sixth District. I thought it was, because the state map indicated that Washington county is in the Sixth.
I went to look instead at the detailed map of the Metro area at the Special Redistricting Website:
http://mncourts.gov/?page=4469
Minnesota Congressional Districts Metropolitan Area.pdf
...and it seems I was wrong, it seems that Stillwater is no longer assigned to the Sixth District.
Thank you to the commenter for pointing out my error.
Another development: as result of the new map, Bachmann's personal residence is now in another district. That's going to be a factor if she sticks to her plan to run in the Sixth.
The bad thing is: the court has reshaped the Sixth District. It used to resemble "a great big hook," swinging around the northern exurbs to a point in Stillwater. As a result of the new map, it resembles "a huge claw clutching the Metro area." Bachmann picked up new territory southwest of the city (but she lost some territory in the northwest.)
"The district lost everything east of Ramsey and gained some crimson red territory in Carver county," adds the Minnesota Progressive Project's TonyAngelo.
Bottom line: it's a good day for Michele Bachmann and her reelection chances. |
