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Gerrymandering from page 1

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U.S. Rep.

Sander Levin

Regardless, the map still must be reviewed by
the U.S. Justice Department or possibly the U.S.
District Court in Washington, D.C.
Redistricting is a process that takes place
every 10 years to reflect shifts in population
revealed by the census. Because of Michigan's
declining population, the state is losing one
congressional seat, dropping from 15 to 14. The
new lines slice through the heart of Oakland
County, which has the largest concentration of
Jewish voters in the metro area.
"I'm terribly disappointed that this process
resulted in the total destruction of the Jewish
voting bloc in Oakland County," said Hannan
Lis of Farmington Hills. The Oakland County
businessman is an active member of the
Democratic Party; he serves as a volunteer
campaign finance chair for U.S. Rep. Gary
Peters, D-Bloomfield Township.
"Oakland County is now divided into four
different congressional districts, and it's con-
nected to four areas outside of the county:' Lis
continued. "We don't have one district, which

12

July 7 • 2011

"I think we're just going to have to work harder to make
sure all of the representatives know what our issues and
concerns are. Its going to be harder work, but it's not
going to create a completely impossible situation."

- Susan Herman, director, Michigan Jewish Conference

U.S. Rep.

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Thaddeus

McCotter

was very important in giving us a voice and
influence."
The new maps move the home bases of
Peters and Republican incumbent Thaddeus
McCotter, R-Northville, into the new 11th
District. (McCotter, however, just announced
he's seeking the Republican nomination for
president of the United States. It is unclear if
he'll seek re-election to Congress.) If Peters
doesn't want to run in that Republican-leaning
district (members of Congress need not live in
their districts), he could alternatively be pitted

against incumbent Sander Levin, D-Royal Oak,
for the Democratic nomination in Levin's adja-
cent 9th District.
Levin, who is Jewish, was elected to the
House in 1982. He's a ranking member of the
Ways and Means Committee overseeing tax,
trade, economic growth policies and programs
like Medicare and Social Security. In a joint
statement with Peters, Levin called the new
congressional map "shamelessly partisan:' add-

Gerrymandering on page 14

State Rep. Marty

Knollenberg

