Could Arnold Terminate GOP Congressional Dominance?
As a follow-up to James’s post, let me add that this story is interesting and important on many different levels:
First, upon winning the recall, Schwarzenegger sought increased federal aid. Now, he represents a potential problem to Congressional Republicans, including those whom he counts as allies. Could he use the redistricting issue to extract additional funds for California?
Second, when Schwarzenegger first proposed his redistricting plan, some Democrats expressed skepticism. If it could, in fact, lead to GOP losses, will we start seeing more Democratic support?
Third, note the diverging interests between Schwarzenegger, who wants more moderate state districts to implement his agenda, and Congressional Republicans, who want to maintain their political stronghold. It’s textbook federalism that our Founding Fathers would surely appreciate.
Not really. Even if Republican looses all of their congressional seat from California, it still won’t make that much of of a differences. Should the re-mapping of the district go the way Arnold wants, it’ll make the election far more competetive. It’ll probably do more to oust Henry Waxman, my congressman for the past 24 years than anything else.