Lubbock Republicans Will Insist on Three Congressmen for West Texas

Lubbock, TX, Avalanche-Journal ^ | 06-22-03 | Kitchen, Sebastian

[Theodore R.]

The Lubbock all-Republican delegation is emerging as strong defenders of a neighboring DEMOCRAT congressman: Charles Stenholm of Abilene.

[Mark was here]

West Texas? Isn't that El Paso?

[Theodore R.]

Actually, El Paso is considered "Southwest TX," a distinct area from West TX. West TX is principally the land bound by Wichita Falls, Abilene, Amarillo, Lubbock, and Odessa-Midland.

[steve50]

Isn't Ron Paul in west Texas? Bet they'd love to redistrict him out of their hair.

[Mark was here]

OK I get it. "West Texas" is East of El Paso! :)

[Theodore R.]

Ron Paul is in a district to the SW of Houston. It includes the Democrat city of Victoria (which he won overwhelmingly and is the home city of Democrat lt. governor candidate John Sharp) and smaller coastal cities such as Bay City, Freeport, Lake Jackson, etc. The current districting actually enhanced Paul's chances of holding the seat for several more terms.

[Theodore R.]

No, "West Texas" begins about 150 to 200 miles NORTH of El Paso.

[Theodore R.]

I should say that "West TX" begins some 200 miles north AND east of El Paso. TX really could be five states.

[Paleo Conservative]

The Lubbock all-Republican delegation is emerging as strong defenders of a neighboring DEMOCRAT congressman: Charles Stenholm of Abilene.

I don't blame them. If they lose a Congresssional seat now they probably won't ever get it back. On the other hand Stenholm has a pretty conservative voting record. The only thing he doesn't do is vote for the Repblicans to organize Congress. Whenever Stenholm decides to retire, his district will probably elect a Republican. Considering he only received 51% of the vote when he ran for reelection in 2002, that retirement might not be voluntary.

[Paleo Conservative]

No, "West Texas" begins about 150 to 200 miles NORTH of El Paso.

No, West, Texas is located just north of Waco on I-35 at exit 353.

[Theodore R.]

West TX (the region) is not West, TX (a town in, is it, McLennan Co.?).

I broke down in West, TX, once and had a very bad experience there. The town is mostly Czech in ethnicity.

[Mark was here]

Silly me, I thought New Mexico was North of El Paso...

[Mark was here]

I should say that "West TX" begins some 200 miles north AND east of El Paso. TX really could be five states.

So "West Texas" is really "North East" Texas? :)

[woofer]

If they lose a Congressional seat now they probably won't ever get it back.

Read your Constitution. Redistricting occurs after every decadal census. It's meant to ensure that the House of Representatives remains that, representative. Current law is a little vague (to me) as to the maximum citizens in a US House district, but the minimum remains at about 160,000 citizens. Maximum number may be [current national population] divided by 435.

[Paleo Conservative]

West TX (the region) is not West, TX (a town in, is it, McLennan Co.?).

I broke down in West, TX, once and had a very bad experience there. The town is mostly Czech in ethnicity.

I know. I was just kidding. You're right about it being mostly Czech. There is an execellent Czech bakery/gas station/convenience store called the "Czech Stop" at exit 353 that sells kolaches. I usually stop there when I go to or from the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

[Mark was here]

I think the minimum number is 1 per state. Each district has around the same number of people in it.

[Xenalyte]

Lubbock . . . what a miserable hole. Dust storms and tarantulas. Blech. Give me my 95% humidity any day.

But it still beats Amarillo.

[Theodore R.]

"West TX" is to a degree the NW quadrant of Texas.

[Theodore R.]

However, most geographers also make a distinction between the Panhandle and West Texas. I was putting in the Panhandle as part of West Texas. So West TX would be more populous than Panhandle TX.

[Paleo Conservative]

Read your Constitution. Redistricting occurs after every decadal census. It's meant to ensure that the House of Representatives remains that, representative. Current law is a little vague (to me) as to the maximum citizens in a US House district, but the minimum remains at about 160,000 citizens. Maximum number may be [current national population] divided by 435.

It has nothing to do with the size of the districts. They will all be pretty close to each other in population. It has to do with taking apart the current districts and taking voters from currently strong Republican districts and adding them to districts that currently lean DemocRAT. While this may increase the number of districts Republicans control state wide, it could reduce the influence of West Texas by diluting their voting strength among several districts. The plan favored by Delay would eliminate Stenholm's seat.