Flashbacks:
The RNGC Caddyshackpocalypse
Bollards!
This exciting "Twitpic," whatever that is, shows what could happen if a redistricting deal currently in the works winds up being approved by state lawmakers during a special session next month. If approved, James Moran will be replaced as Reston's Congressman by fellow Democrat Gerry Connolly. Connolly would also pick up most of Herndon from Republican Frank Wolf.
The deal currently being negotiated shows exactly what's wrong with redistricting -- it's rigged to protect incumbents at all costs. If the plan is approved, Connolly -- who actually had a close call in last fall's elections -- builds his Democratic support base by adding Reston, Herndon, Centerville and Woodbridge to his district, while Republican Frank Wolf, not exactly in any danger of losing an election anytime soon, picks up the more conservative parts of the region, including Clifton and Haymarket. Moran consolidates his support in the inside-the-Beltway regions, but at least his district would no longer resemble a stretched out piece of Silly Putty attempting to swallow Reston's isthmus of liberalism.
The Washington Post seems to think this is a good thing:
That shift will increase Northern Virginia’s clout on Capitol Hill as the region fights to secure federal funding for transportation and other projects at a time of budget austerity, and it will maintain a long-standing trend in Virginia politics, said Mark J. Rozell, a professor of public policy at George Mason University.We'll miss Moran. Guess this means no more fun town halls anytime soon.
“I think we’ve seen over the past couple of decades a steady erosion of dominance by downstate legislators both in Richmond and on Capitol Hill,” Rozell said.
Increased clout on the Hill will be especially important for Northern Virginia, which relies on money from Uncle Sam for everything from the Dulles rail extension and highway improvements to the Pentagon and the federal contracting industry. Tens of thousands of government employees live in the region.
Is changing the districts to accommodate Connelly known as Gerry-mandering?
ReplyDeleteNice one, Justine!
ReplyDeleteThe first rule of redistricting is always protect the incumbents.
Don't you think CD11 is starting to morph into the shape of Vietnam?
ReplyDeleteActually,the proposed new shape of the 11th CD to my eye bears a striking resemblance to a somewhat stretched out Great Britain. You have the south of England in Prince William (how appropriate), London where Fort Belvoir is (who knew), and the British Midlands stretching north through Burke. That bulge out to Centerville could be Wales shifted northward, and then the Scottish Highland comprise that bump on top where Herndon and Reston are. Very fitting that, in this imagined outline of Great Britain, our Reston is not that far from where the actual Scottish Reston would be.
ReplyDeleteReston being represented by Moran always seemed to be a streach to me. I'm about as liberal as they come and generally agreed with his roll call votes, but his indifferent constiutant services ticked me off on multiple occasions. Add the cronic foot in mouth disease and you had a voter who has been writing in somebody else for the last three congressional elections.
ReplyDeleteI for one welcome Reston's new Democratic Overlords. Now if I could just get a non-GOP congresscritter out here in Eastern Loudoun.
I would slay to get Frank Wolf back. You want constitent services? That's why they call him "King of the pothole politicians." I have asked Moran twice for help, and gotten squat.
ReplyDeleteI also am as liberal as they come, and consider myself a Democrat but I will cross the line every time when it comes to a hack polician like Jim Moran. He is a racist lunatic, and has done nothing for Reston.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunatley, Gerry Connolly is probably one notch below Moran, and is probably the only other Democrat, I will always cross the line
against.
By all means Frank Wolf should represent Reston. He is non partisan, and Reston would do well by him.