Friday, October 1, 2010

The South and other parts of the Sunbelt will gain seats in Congress after the redistricting triggered by the new Census figures. But how many seats? The Institute for Southern Studies and its must-read blog Facing South are keeping score. The latest estimate by a private firm shows Florida and Texas gaining a total of six seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, more than previously projected, and North Carolina holding steady at 13. However, the estimators admit they don’t include Americans living abroad in their numbers, and considering all those soldiers and contractors who list North Carolina as their home base, who knows – it’s still possible the Tar Heel state will eke out another seat, just as it did after the 2000 Census.