One way the Democrat Party cheated

[Big Money]

Democrats used front groups, disingenuous testimony, and other aggressive tactics to manipulate California’s independent redistricting commission.


The effort was meant to create safe seats for the Democratic Party and in particular for incumbents.


“Every member of the Northern California Democratic Caucus has a ticket back to DC,” said one enthusiastic memo written as the process was winding down.



So how did congressional Democrats do in California after redistricting shook everything up?


Quite well.


Overall, Democrats in California gained four seats.



http://www.propublica.org/article/in-california-democrats-redistricting-strategy-paid-off

 

[Big Money]

The Democrat Party launched a historically expensive campaign to keep control of state legislatures in redrawing the federal electoral map.


In a memo sent to Democratic leaders and activists, the Democrat Legislative Campaign Committee's Executive Director Michael Sargeant highlighted 15 key battlegrounds and called for the establishment of a $20 million "Redistricting Fund" to help the party win those races.


"The DLCC is determined to run the largest democratic redistricting mobilization in history this year to ensure that our state legislative candidates have the resources needed to win against well-*heeled Republican special interests," according to the memo, which was passed to the Huffington Post.


"To make this possible, we have established the DLCC's Redistricting Fund to deploy $20 million to races that will have the greatest impact on reapportionment."


The size of the proposed fund placed the DLCC in a position of financial strength unprecedented in the group's history. For the 2006 cycle, the DLCC raised about $10 million, an aide said. In 2008, donations totaled $12 million.


Following the census results in 2010, each state reevaluated and redrew its congressional map in early 2011. In 36 of those states, authority for the task was placed in the hands of the legislature -- whether it's the ability to make recommendations for redistricting, actually draw the new lines or override decisions made by the governor or an independent body.


But much of that depended on the results of state elections. In his memo, Sargeant noted that there are "21 chambers in 17 states" that "are within five seats of changing hands." Those 17 states had the power to potentially shape 198 congressional districts.


After a series of electoral wins in recent years, Democrats control more legislative seats.


The ten potential Democratic "swing" chambers were: the Alabama State Senate, Colorado State Senate, Indiana House, Nevada State Senate, New Hampshire State Senate, New York State Senate, Ohio House, Pennsylvania House, Wisconsin Assembly and the Wisconsin State Senate.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/16/democratic-party-launchin_n_500488.html