How U.S. Rep. Gary Peters (D-MI) won re-election but could lose his district

[Bozita]

http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2010/11/how_us_rep_gary_peters_won_re-.html

How U.S. Rep. Gary Peters won re-election but could lose his district
Published: Saturday, November 13, 2010, 9:21 AM Updated: Saturday, November 13, 2010, 9:53 AM
Jonathan Oosting | MLive.com

U.S. Rep. Gary Peters survived a fierce challenge from Republican Rocky Raczkowski to win re-election on Nov. 2, but he could face an even tougher challenge in 2012: Fellow Democratic Rep. Sander Levin.

Peters' victory proved a rare bright spot for the Democratic party, which lost control of the House -- both here in Michigan and Washington D.C. -- to the GOP. And that Republican leadership could mean even more bad news for either Peters or Levin.

How? Gerrymandering.

The Michigan Legislature is expected to redraw the state's Congressional districts next year in the wake of the 2010 U.S. Census. Michigan is expected to lose at least one House seat, and there's a growing belief Republicans will target Peters' district.

more...

[notesdev]

1. It's worse than that

With redistricting they can draw the districts however they please... and the GOP overwhelmingly won control of the Michigan legislature this year. So if they wanted to carve safe Democratic districts into little pieces so that none of the seats would be safe, they could do just that.

Oh, did I mention that Michigan isn't even close to the only state where we have this problem?

[The Northerner]

2. +1

[blue_onyx]

3. Well...

The Republicans had complete control of redistricting in 2000 too. So the districts are already drawn in the Republicans favor. I don't think they'll be able to do better than 9 vs 5 for the GOP. If they start dividing up the Democratic areas too much, they may start making some of their own districts more competitive.

I do think it will be Peters and Levin who are drawn into the same district. I guess Levin could retire. If there's a primary between Peters and Levin, Levin will win.