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Posts published in “Day: May 10, 2011”

OR redistrict: Congressional options

May 10, 2011

From a diary on Daily Kos, a provocative look at some of the ways Oregon's five congressional districts might be redrawn this year.

The key question is whether Oregon, which now has four Democratic representatives and one Republican, might get a set of districts which would favor election of one more Republican. In his diary, James Allen has "drawn up 3 not so revolutionary maps which should add another Republican leaning district, or at least make the Democratic districts more competitive. They keep the districts mostly in the current orientation, but make some changes, obviously."

Worth a look, as time nears for release of some of the initial districting committee-based maps.

WA: Cain in the lead?

May 10, 2011

Yet another indicator of how unpredictable the Republican race for the presidential nomination has become:

Last Friday the Washington State Republican Party, meeting at Bellevue, for an annual dinner, ran a straw poll to assess the support there for the various presidential contenders.

357 ballots came in, and split deeply among 17 named candidates (and nine "others"). The "winner" with 54 votes - 15.1% of the total - was businessman Herman Cain, outpacing former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney by two votes.

The next two highest finishers included one person who might or might not right (Mitch Daniels, Indiana governor) and one who has flatly said he will not (Chris Christie, New Jersey governor).

After that, no one got even a tenth of the votes. Former Arkasnas Governor Mike Huckabee (who did well in Washington four years ago) got only 14; Representative (and Tea Party favorite) Ron Paul just 10; former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin eight (how the mighty have fallen). Even The Donald got only 10.

Certainly looks from here like a wide-open race.