This is another in a series of pictures showing what this year's blue wave looks like. So far, I've done everything North and Northeast of Maryland and Delaware.
Here's how things stood before the 2006 election.
Here's how thing came out on Election Night. There weren't any targeted seats here, and nothing changed.
Next is a map showing the margin of victory.
Finally, here's a map showing the margin-of-victory change from 2004 to 2006. Notice how every single district is some shade of blue.
Maryland is the textbook on Democratic redistricting. Most rural areas and are packed into two districts (the 1st and 6th). The remaining such areas are split up into districts dominated by Baltimore and its inner suburbs (2nd, 3rd, and 7th) or by Washington suburbs (4th, 5th, and 8th).
Castle in DE is one of the few moderate East-Coast Republicans not to suffer a strong challenge this year. Given how well Democrats have done lately in Delaware (presidential wins since 1992, senatorial wins since 1996, gubernatorial wins since 1992, a Democratic governor who won despite being somewhat disliked in 2004, a Democratic State Senate, and Democratic gains in the State House in 2004 and 2006), it's peculiar that Castle seems so untouchable.
Of course, at-large House incumbents hardly ever lose. No at-large House incumbent in the country has lost an election since Bernie Sanders beat freshman Republican Peter Smith in 1990. Before that, now-Senator Carper beat scandal-ridden Thomas Evans in 1982. And before that, you have to go back to the 60s (maybe the 70s; I can't find good records from Nevada) to find any at-large members defeated. I have a few ideas about why incumbency might be a larger advantage in at-large seats, but I'm curious to hear from Delawareans about why Castle is so popular. Was he particularly well-like as a governor?
Here are thumbnails of the districts. My favorite ordinary maps of congressional districts are from the Census Bureau and the Interior Department.
DE-AL (Wilmington), Castle (R) defeats Spivack (D) 57-39:
MD-01 (Salisbury), Gilchrest (R) defeats Corwin (D) 69-31:
MD-02 (Baltimore and suburbs, Aberdeen), Ruppersberger (D) defeats Mathis (R) 70-30:
MD-03 (Baltimore and suburbs), John Sarbanes (D) defeats White (R) 65-33 for open seat held by Cardin (D):
MD-04 (Washington suburbs), Wynn (D) defeats Starkman (R) 82-18:
MD-05 (Washington suburbs, St. Charles), Hoyer (D) defeats Warner (Green) 84-16:
MD-06 (Hagerstown and Frederick), Bartlett (R) defeats Duck (D) 59-39:
MD-07 (Baltimore and suburbs), Cummings (D) unopposed:
MD-08 (Washington suburbs), Van Hollen (D) defeats Stein (R) 77-21:
DC-DEL (Washington), Norton (D) unopposed:
For reference, here's the state with select cities labeled.