Redrawn Map Spells Big Changes For Congressional Districts In Philly Region
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- There are big changes to congressional districts in the Philadelphia region as the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has released the new map following its decision on what it called unconstitutional gerrymandering.
The 1st District is all of Bucks County with a sliver of Montgomery County, including the Lansdale and Hatfield area. Democratic political consultant Neil Oxman says the district is more balanced, but that doesn't mean incumbent republican Brian Fitzpatrick will lose.
"He is a good Republican for that district because he hasn't been Trump crazy," Oxman said. "And Bucks County did go for Hillary Clinton by 3,000 votes."
Unlike the previous map which sliced Montgomery County into five separate congressional districts, the majority of the county, minus the Lansdale area, and part of Lower Merion, now makes up the 4th District.
"So that district makes sense, that's what you would say, Montgomery County is its own congressional district."
Delaware County is the 5th District, with some of south and southwest Philadelphia.
"Will you have six or seven or eight people as you have now running from Delaware County, and then maybe just one person running from Philadelphia?"
Which, Oxman says, if Democrats win the seat as he expects they will, Delaware County could end losing representation in Congress with the representative coming from the city.
As for Chester County, the 6th District, Oxman says he expects Democrats will win that seat.
But state Republicans promise a challenge as they said from the start, the state Supreme Court is over-stepping its bounds, as the legislature is responsible for drawing districts, not the court.
