This is another in a series of pictures showing what this year's blue wave looks like. (In the case of Michigan, it doesn't look like much.) Each congressional district has equal size in these cartograms. So far, I've done New England, the Mid-Atlantic, and much of the Ohio Valley.
Here's how things stood before the 2006 election. (Click the thumbnails for larger images.)
Here's how things came out on Election Night.
Next are maps showing the margin of victory.
Finally, here's a map showing the margin-of-victory change from 2004 to 2006.
In the nation's most under-rated gerrymander, Democrats are well-packed into their six districts. Perhaps a vigorous effort could make the 7th or 9th flip, but I don't see much reason for optimism until redistricting. Michigan demonstrates the ease of creating pro-Republican gerrymanders that "look good": the districts are as compact as any states, and respect boundaries of "communities of interest" to a large extent. The lesson that Democrats should learn from Michigan (in contrast to Maryland, say) is that "neutral traditional redistricting principles" do not prevent pro-Republican gerrymanders in the same way that they prevent pro-Democratic gerrymanders.
Here are thumbnails of the districts. My favorite ordinary maps of congressional districts are from the Census Bureau and the Interior Department.
MI-01 (Upper Peninsula, Mackinaw City), Stupak (D) defeats Hooper (R) 69-28:
MI-02 (Muskegon), Hoekstra (R) defeats Kotos (D) 66-32:
MI-03 (Grand Rapids), Ehlers (R) defeats Rinck (D) 63-35:
MI-04 (Saginaw), Camp (R) defeats Huckleberry (D) 60-38:
MI-05 (Flint and Saginaw), Kildee (D) defeats Klammer (R) 73-25:
MI-06 (Kalamazoo), Upton (R) defeats Clark (D) 61-38:
MI-07 (Lansing suburbs and Jackson), Walberg (R) defeats Renier (D) 51-46 for open seat held by Schwarz (R):
MI-08 (Lansing), Rogers (R) defeats Marcinkowski (D) 55-43:
MI-09 (Detroit suburbs), Knollenberg (R) defeats Skinner (D) 52-46:
MI-10 (Detroit suburbs and Port Huron), Miller (R) defeats Denison (D) 66-31:
MI-11 (Detroit suburbs and South Lyon), McCotter (R) defeats Trupiano (D) 54-43:
MI-12 (Detroit suburbs), Sander Levin (D) defeats Shafer (R) 70-26:
MI-13 (Detroit and suburbs), Cheeks Kilpatrick (D) unopposed:
MI-14 (Detroit and suburbs), Conyers (D) defeats Miles (R) 85-15:
MI-15 (Detroit suburbs and Ann Arbor), Dingell (D) defeats Smith (Green) 88-5: