State races key to 2011 redistricting...

One of the many issues we're paying attention to is the looming redistricting battles that will play out in 2011. The USA Today provides a nice summary of the importance of state elections in November. Recall that redistricting is a once-a-decade process which uses the Census, among other things, to guide the redrawing of political lines. (note: this is one of the main reasons the Administration's decision to move the Census Bureau from the Commerce Department to the Oval Office was so controversial.) Both parties will focus their attention on the six states "where one chamber of the legislature is within a few votes of switching control." Federal elections get the most media attention, but the legislative agenda in DC over the next 10 years could very well be shaped by a few state-level elections in November.

Possible redistricting lights up state races' fundraising

By Kathy Kiely, USA TODAY


WASHINGTON — As Census workers fan out this month to complete the nation's once-a-decade headcount, leaders of both political parties are amassing war chests for the high-stakes political battle that it will trigger.


Democrats and Republicans are planning to pour at least $20 million each into November's state legislative races that could determine which party controls about two dozen state legislative chambers. And in a case that could go to the Supreme Court, the Republican National Committee is arguing it should be able to add to the pot.


The reason for all the activity: In all but six states, legislatures have a hand in redrawing congressional boundaries after each Census — supposedly to account for population shifts, but usually with a political eye.


That's why both parties are investing in races for state House and Senate.


"If you focus some resources you can have an impact on congressional elections for a decade," says Ed Gillespie, a former national Republican Party chairman and co-chair of the party's effort to win state legislatures.


Democrats are ramping up for a historic fundraising effort. "With the Census and the health care agenda, people are focusing on what these state races mean," says Michael Sargeant, executive director of the Democratic effort.


Republicans are playing catch-up in the redistricting fight. Before congressional boundaries were redrawn in 2001, the GOP controlled governorships and both chambers of state legislatures in 13 states, compared with eight for Democrats.


Since then, Democrats have made steady gains in state legislative races and reversed the equation. Today, Democrats control the governor's office, the state House and the state Senate in 16 states. Republicans have total control in nine states.


There are no federal limits on fundraising because the legislative races are state contests. As a result, six-figure donations are pouring into the parties' legislative committees, from labor unions and wealthy individuals. Money is also coming from corporations banned from making direct contributions in congressional or presidential races.


State legislative races are traditionally the election undercard, overshadowed by races for statewide and federal offices. Fundraising for November's legislative races is expected to break records. "There's little doubt there will be more money spent on legislative races this year than ever," says the National Conference of State Legislatures' Tim Storey.


Contributors to the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee last year included: AFSCME, the government employees' labor union, which has pitched in about $600,000; Hewlett-Packard, the high-tech manufacturer, $35,000 and Altria, a tobacco and food conglomerate, $100,000. Tim Gill, a gay rights activist from Denver, has contributed $50,000.


Among the Republican State Leadership Committee's backers: retailing giant Wal-Mart with $115,000; oil company Exxon-Mobil, $90,000; online auctioneer eBay, $40,000 and Comcast, the cable TV provider, $81,000.


A federal district court last month rejected the RNC's argument that it should be allowed to raise unlimited campaign funds for state legislative races. The RNC can go to the Supreme Court with its challenge to a federal law that limits the amount of money national parties can collect.


Most attention will focus on states expected to lose or gain congressional seats and where one chamber of the legislature is within a few votes of switching control. Iowa, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas are among those states.


In Texas, during the last redistricting fight, Democratic lawmakers at one point fled across state lines to avoid voting on a Republican-drawn congressional map. The map ultimately was put in place and helped shift the state's congressional delegation from majority Democrat to majority Republican.


"We understand the consequences of redistricting," says state Rep. Garnet Coleman, a Democrat spearheading his party's effort to win the Texas House.


Ohio's House Republican leader William Batchelder, hoping to reverse his party's minority status, says "it is difficult sometimes to get people focused on legislative races," but believes the best way to win is to highlight pocketbook issues.


That's the "mechanics" of politics, Batchelder says. "It turns most people off."