On Meet the Press this morning Chuck Todd cut the Republicans off at the knees by exposing the mythical "Majority" House Republicans often boast of representing as being due to a considerable extent to intensive Republican gerrymandering, rather than an actual majority of American voters.
MEET THE PRESS October 27, 2013
CHUCK TODD: But right here, during the shutdown, a breakout here: eight points. It was the largest lead we'd shown in four years. Now, an eight-point lead looks big, and you think Democrats have a shot. But let's remember, this is a gerrymandered House. Democrats actually won the generic ballot in 2012. More people voted for a Democratic member of Congress than a Republican one in 2012, and yet there are more Republican-held congressional seats, 234. Democrats only have 201, even though they won a majority of the vote in 2012. There are a few vacancies there, by the way. We know some folks will say that.
So here's what they would need. They need to pick up 17 seats. This looks like it could be doable. Why? Because there are 36 seats where the president either won, or got 48% or better, that are currently held by Republican members of Congress. So you look at it and it's doable.
Americans need to be reminded that the GOP's "mandate" in the House is an illusion more often IMHO.
Which States, Districts Are Most Gerrymandered?
All Smoke and Mirrors