The Polling Center: Race, Ideology and Redistricting
As the Legislature prepares to give final approval to a new congressional redistricting map, it's worth considering how the current map has influenced perceptions of representation among the Texas electorate. After all, the debate about redistricting inside and outside the Capitol has centered largely on whether different groups of Texans are getting the representation they deserve and, more specifically, whether the makeup of the state’s congressional delegation serves as a good reflection of Texas’s increasingly diverse population.
In what may initially seem like a surprise, polling data from the May 2011 UT/Texas Tribune poll suggest that ...
Comments (14)
Texascattleco
I don't feel that my congressman represents me. I fit the demographic that feels the most underrepresented being an Anglo Texas Democrat in a 63% Republican district doesn't give me much hope I will feel any differently after the next election either.
Mac Mcclure via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Another agenda driven poll. The real poll took place at the ballot box last November. Elections matter, pointy headed PHD, agenda driven polls don't.
Nathan Molbert via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Duh, it's texas
Claudia Corum
My Congressman, Lloyd Doggett, does an excellent job of representing everything I believe in, both in his votes in Congress, and in his ready and consistent help to me as a constituent.
For this, the 82nd legislature has gone to great efforts to break up his District. Now my "representative" will live a hundred miles or more and be decided in some Republican primary.
Shame on the 82nd legislature......for successfully disenfranchising Travis County voters.
The research in this article hits the nail on the head.
Leesa Monroe via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I certainly do not feel represented by my representives and I'm a moderate white person.
Claudia Corum via Texas Tribune on Facebook
this article is spot on. SHAME on the 82nd legislature for disenfranchising Travis County voters.
Mike Openshaw via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Another poll massaged to try to fit the hypothesis; that it's OK to try to retain Anglo Democrats at the cost of mapping districts that give ethnic minorities a chance to run the district. Anything to spread out minority votes to provide cover for as many Democrats as possible, to heck with minority aspirations to more actual seats at the table.
Bambi Clark via Texas Tribune on Facebook
@Leesa I hit the "Love" it button many times!
Hannah Katz
Liberals are pretty hard to please, regardless. They tend to have an idealistic vision of how they want things to be, and anything short of their ideal is hated. Put them in a red state like Texas and they are bound to be disappointed.
Tim Hurst via Texas Tribune on Facebook
exactly, the R that we are stuck with certainly does not rep me or my neighborhood but we are stuck in a gerrymandered district.
Healthy Texan
My congressman, Lloyd Doggett, does a terrible job of representing me. I contact him on every important vote but since he votes the opposite, I never receive a response. I look forward to a new congressman.
Adrian Juarez
This is definitely a classic example of voter repression. I hope that like-minded Liberals, and pointy-headed PhDs like myself (Thanks to whoever posted that one: I now can add that to my list of descriptives that include, NY Times-reading, Tree-Hugging, Lattte-drinking, Socialist WetBack); do not lose confidence in our political process. The term "All Politics are Local" is especially true here, and as long as Austin, Dallas and the Border keep sending Liberals to the Capitol, we will remain a "thorn" to these shameless Republicans. Eventually the tide will turn, and Texas will be forced to either recognize the Liberal voice or Republican Texans will see that our state has become a polluted wasteland that Wall Street owns...
Dale H Curry via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Elections do have consequence. This was no mandate. This was a gop and tparty hijacking of the electorate through lies like "Death panels" and "Goverment takeover of healthcare (Politifact's 2009 and 2010 Lies of the Year respectivley). It was driven by anxiety of ballooning Federal deficit caused by the policies of Geoge Bush. But 2012 is a new election and with tparty and gop right wing social engineering driving the electorate, you can expect the MISTAKES will soon be corrected.l
Dale H Curry via Texas Tribune on Facebook
@ MIke. Really MIke. So you thing the gop gerrymandered map has been designed to protect minorities. Acutally this map is designed to expand the tparty and gop in Congress. It will face sigtnificant legal challenges for disenfranching Blacks (north TX) and hispanics. Also, it is sad that you support the disenfranchisement of your neighbors in Travis County. Enjoy the Gerrymandered districts while they last, because in about 10 years with the coming Dem majority, your going to regret this. Thats a promise.