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White voters will dominate redrawn Calif. political districts


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By Jim Sanders, Sacramento Bee

Most of California’s legislators and congressional representatives will be elected over the next decade from districts dominated by white voters, the state’s new political maps show.

Districts drawn by the state’s first-ever redistricting commission may bolster the clout of other racial groups – particularly Latinos – but probably not end the longtime political dominance by whites.

Caucasians currently hold nearly two of every three legislative seats, for example, even though California’s white population fell to below 50 percent of the state total more than a decade ago.

“The overrepresentation of whites, I think, will continue,” said Marqueece Harris-Dawson of the African American Redistricting Collaborative. “Hopefully, that will be a focal point of the redistricting process (in 2021).”

In six of every 10 new legislative and congressional districts drawn by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission, whites comprise more than 50 percent of the adult citizen population, exceeding the total of all other groups combined, according to statistics by Redistricting Partners, a research and consulting firm.

The imbalance is due largely to population distribution – not racial discrimination – analysts say, adding that candidates of any color are potential contenders in districts dominated by their party.

“Minorities, more and more, are getting the ability to get elected almost anywhere,” said Paul Mitchell, a Democratic strategist and leader of Redistricting Partners.

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Comments (23)
  1. dogwoman says - Posted: August 9, 2011

    The population of California, according to the census, is 57.6% White, 37.6% Hispanic, 6.2% Black, and the rest is made up of Asians, Pacific Islanders, Native Americans, etc. So it makes sense that the political makeup of the state would be somewhat skewed toward White people. Hispanic people haven’t inolved themselves in politics particularly in the past and it takes awhile to climb the political ladder. If your daddy was a senator, it’s more likely you will be one too.
    But more important is the suggestion that we vote by race. If anything it appears that minorities are elected BECAUSE they are minorities more often than because of their politics or abilities. Witness the election of our current president.

  2. lisa says - Posted: August 9, 2011

    dog…You are a sad little freak of a person. Go take a walk outside or something. Just turn the computer off for a while and enjoy life.

  3. Clear Water says - Posted: August 9, 2011

    Dog telling it like is lisa…Not all of us kiss the community butt like some.

  4. dogwoman says - Posted: August 9, 2011

    Lisa, Lisa. Personal attacks are the last resort of people who have no valid argument.

  5. the conservation robot says - Posted: August 9, 2011

    Women make up approximately 50% of the population.
    And in they are also proportionately represented….
    The 57% number is misleading as used above. Only 40% reported as white, nonhispanic. Watch out when certain people start trying to play with facts. Always double check.

  6. dogwoman says - Posted: August 9, 2011

    Gee, haven’t seen you posting lately, Bongo. Were you lying in wait?
    With regards to the stats, the census ALSO does not differentiate between illegal immigrants and citizens, voters or non-voters. So yeah, watch when people start playing with facts. Always double check.

  7. the conservation robot says - Posted: August 9, 2011

    What does this have to do with improper use of data? What does the mention of illegals have to do with this? Why do i even bother?
    *forgot to mention earlier, an example of confirmation bias.

  8. dogwoman says - Posted: August 9, 2011

    So you accuse me of “improper use of data”? Really?
    Please!
    Data are data. YOUR side twists it to frighten uneducated people every darn day. That is the beauty of statistics. You can pretty much get them to promote any argument you choose. And liberal academic types (redundant, I know) do it better than anybody.

  9. Another view says - Posted: August 9, 2011

    Lisa, listen again, verbal and personal attacks are always a sign of no valid argument. Here’s a fact, the race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orintation, and religion of our population are not equally represented by those elected to office. Fact. Period. Spin it how you want, they are not equally represented and likely never will be. We’re lucky to get a few gay , a few women, a few non-white, a few of this and that, but the population changes exploded faster than anyone’s access, ability, power, and positional opportunities did. Fact.

    Lisa, grow up please. Attacking people for using the computer, while you are uh, using the computer… illogical, nonsensical.

  10. lou pierini says - Posted: August 9, 2011

    robot, nice not

  11. the conservation robot says - Posted: August 9, 2011

    No. Claiming that 57% percent of Californians identify as white (including those who identify with more than 1 race), without mentioning that 40% of Californians identify as white, non hispanic, is leaving out part of the picture.
    You want to talk statistics? There is certainty, and you must discuss the uncertainty along with it. You left out a big part in the uncertainty of the number 57%. And you didn’t properly identify what data was being described by the number. Not even mentioning the related number that is based on the same data.

    My side twists data you say. Which side backs the ‘research’ done by the Heartland Institute? I beleive it is your side that believes that Intelligent Design can be considered science…..
    Give me a break.
    What percentage of republicans, let alone conservatives, believe in creation and that the bible contains scientific facts that put the age of the earth at tens of thousands of years or less?
    I only mention it, because you brought up ‘YOUR side’
    Also, Data *is* data. Datums, are datums.
    Cognitive dissonance, confirmation bias. Again. And you want to talk statistics… Fine. Lets start first chapter Statistics 101.

    What is the numerical value of n, when s -> S?
    What does ‘s’ even mean?, and why is capital ‘S’ different than lower case ‘s’?

    Also, uneducated people are easier to frighten, they ask less questions. Fear. That is why Bush was so successful. Fear. That is why Fox News is so successful. Fear. It is a great way to control people. And you have been very well programmed.

  12. Alex Campbell says - Posted: August 10, 2011

    conservation robot!!! Your last para says it all.

  13. Where is the turnip truck says - Posted: August 10, 2011

    Talking about uneducated (and undereducated) people sure comes easy to you CR. I wonder why?

  14. snoheather says - Posted: August 10, 2011

    Turnip truck- Dogwoman brought up the uneducated people first and Robot was responding to her post.
    I agree with Alex, the last paragraph of Robot’s post is right on.

  15. dogwoman says - Posted: August 10, 2011

    Wow, you guys have all turned this into a mean argument. All I did was state a few facts. I DID insult our president in a round about way, but it’s true that he had very few qualifications for the job and was primarily elected simply for the historical event it was creating.
    My comment regarding “uneducated people” wasn’t attacking anybody except those who would USE them to achieve their own goals.
    Did any of you actually READ my first post? Other than the statement about Obama it was totally benign. From there Lisa and the Robot went on the attack and others jumped on. Give it a break!

  16. the conservation robot says - Posted: August 10, 2011

    Obama was primarily elected because he is half black.

    Absolute genius content right there.

  17. the conservation robot says - Posted: August 10, 2011

    ‘but it’s true that he … was primarily elected simply for the historical event it was creating.’
    Really. Him being the first half black president was number 1 over the following reasons:
    -ANY Democrat would have won in 2008. John Kerry would have won. Hilary would have won. Joe Biden would have won
    -The country was tired of the GOP control. We got into a war based on lies, didn’t fund it, the economy bombed.
    And those
    -McCain was a terrible candidate. Palin was an even worse VP

    But Obama won because he is half black.
    Do you think before you hit submit?

  18. dogwoman says - Posted: August 10, 2011

    Kerry would never have won. Obama beat Hillary most likely because he is black. And he had the Chicago machine behind him, which SHOULD have given voters pause, but for some reason, did not.
    I know in your little myopic world you like to think I’m a racist to prop up your own little self image. But my personal preference for the Presidential ticket for 2012 is Col. Allen West and Sarah Palin. In either order.
    Do I think before I hit submit? I think about ISSUES, not political correctness and getting my share of the government cheese.

  19. the conservation robot says - Posted: August 11, 2011

    You said that the ‘primary reason Obama won’ was because of his ethnicity.
    McCain was a poor candidate. Sarah Palin was an even worse VP. She advocated for abstinence only sex ed, and is a grandmother for her unwed daughter. Sarah Palin also quit her job as governor while having extremely high approval ratings amongst her constituency. She is a joke. She is a liability to the GOP. Karl Rove is a genius, I disagree with everything he stands for but he is a genius. And he thinks Palin is bad for the GOP.

    You are a moron. I am a recovering moron, so I would know. But I went out of my way to break the shell and become a functioning moron. You tried to reference some numbers on the percentage of white people in CA. And completely neglected to mention the other percentage, of white people who only identify as white, non hispanic. And great try, you went out and found some data. You didn’t reference it, but we can all go find 2010 CA census data.

    As for ‘my world view’ being ‘myopic’….
    Which one of us believes that Mt. Tallac is much older than tens of thousands of years? Which one of us can explain the existence of serpentine on the top of that mountain?

    You claim that the ‘primary’ reason Obama was elected was because of his ethnicity….
    McCain was a poor candidate. The GOP had the better part of 8 years of control of this country. We were lied to about a war that lasted into Obamas presidency and was unjustified.
    There were no WMDs in Iraq. There was no anthrax scare.
    But we shocked and awed Iraq. And Bush never funded it.
    And he started with a surplus, and ended with a deficit in an economy that was in the tank.
    But in YOUR mind, the primary reason Obama was elected was because he is half white.

    You are a moron.

  20. dogwoman says - Posted: August 11, 2011

    Bongo I am sick to death of you twisting my words to suit your mold. Just stop it. I’m done with you.

  21. snoheather says - Posted: August 11, 2011

    Dog- Ignorance IS bliss. Have fun being told how to think by Fox News and Friends instead of thinking for youself. To say Obama was voted for because he is black is absolutely ridiculous. Robot is right, people were tired of the same old, same old and wanted a change. Obama promised that change (I’m not saying he has delivered on that promise). He was charismatic and new to the scene. That is why he got voted into office. I personally like most of Ron Paul has to say so, please don’t label me as a liberal thug. I think for myself. Have a great day.

  22. Steve Mac says - Posted: August 11, 2011

    Accusing dog of having been brainwashed by the Fox News is ludicrous with respect to what has been going on in news media over the past 30 years. And come on, having the first black (OK Robot, half black) was a feel good festival.

  23. dumbfounded says - Posted: August 11, 2011

    Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!