Comments on: Lynn Woolsey is NOT happy with redistricting map

By: Lynn Woolsey will retire, so let the race begin | Political Blotter

Lynn Woolsey will retire, so let the race begin | Political Blotter — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 01:04:45 +0000

[...] all of Marin County and most of Sonoma County, but redistricting could change all that. Woolsey fired off an angry statement earlier this month when the California Citizens Redistricting Commission’s first draft [...]

By: Woolsey to say next week if she’ll run or retire | Political Blotter

Woolsey to say next week if she’ll run or retire | Political Blotter — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 22:28:58 +0000

[...] all of Marin County and most of Sonoma County, but redistricting could change all that. Woolsey fired off an angry statement 10 days ago when the California Citizens Redistricting Commission’s first draft Congressional map [...]

By: Val Eisman

Val Eisman — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 00:42:27 +0000

Josh, do you know what the present demographic composition of Woolsey’s district is? Does the Latino vote or composition go up or down in the newly created coastal district?
Val

By: John W

John W — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 05:57:06 +0000

DanvilleDemocrat,

Sounds like you have more depth on the subject than I do. The “one person” requirement is what I heard from a commission member during a KGO radio interview.

I don’t think Richmond is included in the Contra Costa Congressional district. It’s in with Oakland and Berkeley. I can’t imagine Miller swapping districts with Garamendi. He may end up being one the few who actually lives in his own district. I would think that the party would like to see Garamendi give Lundgren the boot.

By: DanvilleDemocrat

DanvilleDemocrat — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 01:02:21 +0000

John, I think everyone in Danville/San Ramon would prefer being in the same district with Walnut Creek, LaMOrinda and other parts of Contra Costa County … but El Cerrito, Richmond, Hercules and Pinole seem like an appendage to that group of suburbs. And I say that as someone who thinks they are well-represented right now by a congresswoman, assemblywoman and state senator who also happen to represent Berkeley and other parts of North Alameda County. Basically, why not switch out of the Contra Costa district Richmond/El Cerrito/Hercules for Dublin/Pleasanton/Livermore?

Oh, and the commission did not need to make every district come within just “one person” of having equal population–a certain amount of variance beyond just one person, accounting for imperfections in the census measurements, is permitted under federal law.

Garamendi got pretty screwed by the maps as they are unless he and George Miller swap districts. McNerney actually has less to worry about–Pete Stark seems like a strong retirement candidate–or McNerney can move east to a much friendlier San Joaquin district or northeast to a friendly East Contra Costa (Discovery Bay-based) and southwest Sacramento based district. Then again, Garamendi might go for that, too, instead of facing off against Dan Lundgren. . . .

By: John W

John W — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 02:41:59 +0000

My guess is the “North Coast” district may get tweaked, but I think the commission’s first draft is 90 percent right statewide. They obviously expect to make adjustments and left plenty of time for public comment and revisions. Give ‘em at least a B+. They had to make every district come within one person of having equal population.

Re #4, as a San Ramon resident on the border with Danville and Blackhawk, I’m much happier being in the same district with Walnut Creek and the rest of central Contra Costa than the current carved up mess. Wonder if somebody serious will take on Garamendi? It will be interesting to see what McNerney does.

By: DanvilleDemocrat

DanvilleDemocrat — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 23:48:58 +0000

No disagreement that Congresswoman Woolsey might be making much ado about nothing . . . the parts of Del Norte county now in “her” district might not fit in with the Marin/Sonoma axis, but that is for the constituents to determine through public comment to the redistricting commission.

BUT, Elwood, RR, and RL, speaking more broadly about the map, she may have a point: some of the “communities of interest” put together really make little sense, e.g., the “Tri-Valley/Contra Costa” congressional district being lobbed off from Livermore/Dublin/Pleasanton (which gets put with Fremont/Castro Valley) when the Richmond/Hercules/El Cerrito chunk put in CoCo easily could go in the North Berkeley/Alameda County district.

Seems some of the divisions were just as arbitrary as earlier legislature iterations, even if more compact and “competitive” (in political terms, whatever that means).

By: RL

RL — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 23:42:35 +0000

She might have to reveal her position on tree spiking, that’s why she’s upset.

By: RR, Senile Columnist

RR, Senile Columnist — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 00:01:22 +0000

Look on the bright side, LW. Think of all those pot-smokin.’ aging hippie relics added to your constituency. They will counterbalance those flinty, tree-choppin’ northern folk.

By: Elwood

Elwood — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 23:56:11 +0000

Well, you can cry me a river–