Texas Is Big Winner In Census Lotto

The United States Census Bureau released their initial statistics for the 2010 census yesterday, and in the representation sweepstakes it looks like Texas is the biggest winner.   The Lone Star State will get an additional four representatives in the U.S. House.   According to the new figures, Texas now has 25,145,561 people living in the state.   That's a 20.6% increase over the number living in the state in 2000.

The media seems to have assumed that all the new representatives will be Republicans, but I'm not so sure.   Most of the growth has been in the urban areas and in South Texas -- areas where Democrats get most of their votes.   If the districts are drawn even sort of fairly (and I admit that's a big if) then Democrats may wind up with one or two of those new seats.   But to accomplish that, the Justice Department will have to keep a sharp eye on redistricting efforts to make sure the Republicans don't gerrymander minority areas.

Texas currently has 32 representatives.   It will have 36 after redistricting is completed.   While the Texas legislature goes into session in January, serious redistricting efforts can't take place until the Census Bureau releases its breakdown of where people are living within the state.   That population breakdown won't be released until early February.

The second most new representatives will go to Florida.   That state will get two new representatives, making a total of 27 representatives (the same as New York).   The following states will each get one new representative -- Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, South Carolina, Utah and Washington.  

The biggest losers are New York and Ohio, both of which will lose two House seats.   The following states will each lose one seat -- Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.   California still has the most representatives at 53, but for the first time in its history it did not gain a House seat.

Here are a few other interesting facts from the 2010 census:

* Only one state has declined in population since the 2000 census -- Michigan.
* The fastest growing state percentage-wise was Nevada (35.1%).
* The least populous state is Wyoming (563,626).
* California is the most populous state (37,253,956).
* The population growth by region was -
South..........14,318,924
West..........8,747,621
Midwest..........2,534,225
Northeast..........1,722,862