Talking Points: Announcing Redistricting
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- One of the biggest news stories this week will be the announcement on Tuesday of the new boundaries for Congressional districts and all state legislative seats.
Because our big cities, including Minneapolis and St. Paul, have lost population and the suburbs have gained population, suburban areas are likely to get more representatives in the Minnesota Legislature and that should help Republicans.
"The Republican Party of Minnesota has had a tough few months with the revelations that the state GOP is heavily in debt and a sex scandal taking out the Senate Majority Leader. But when a three-judge panel redraws Minnesota's political boundaries this week, Republicans should get good news. Population has grown in traditionally Republican suburban strongholds and that means those areas should get more legislative seats," Republican House Majority Leader Matt Dean said.
He appeared on WCCO Sunday Morning to discuss the status of the GOP Party.
"We think we have a very good opportunity in the Minnesota House, as long as it is a fair map. We believe we are currently underrepresented as Republicans in the Minnesota House so if the map gets fair and we take our case to the people on jobs and the economy we feel very, very good about the upcoming elections," he said.
It's possible the new map may be less kind to Minnesota's best-known member of Congress. Congresswoman Michele Bachmann's congressional district has 100,000 more people than it should so it needs to shrink. The new lines could mean fewer Republicans in her district, where in 2010 Bachmann won reelection with 52 percent of the vote.
You can watch WCCO Sunday Morning with Esme Murphy at 10 a.m. every Sunday.
