The most Democratic congressional districts in the country are New York's [[New York's 15th congressional district|15th]] and [[New York's 16th congressional district|16th]] at D+43, while the most Republican district is Utah's [[Utah's 1st congressional district|1st]] with a PVI of R+26. As for states as a whole, Utah is the most Republican at R+22, and Massachusetts, New York and Rhode Island are the most Democratic at D+15 (and D+39 for the [[District of Columbia]]). If all states voted exactly on partisan lines according to this index in a presidential election (including ohio at R+0 for the GOP), the democrats would win the election 307-231 electoral votes.
The most Democratic congressional districts in the country are New York's [[New York's 15th congressional district|15th]] and [[New York's 16th congressional district|16th]] at D+43, while the most Republican district is Utah's [[Utah's 1st congressional district|1st]] with a PVI of R+26. As for states as a whole, Utah is the most Republican at R+22, and Massachusetts, New York and Rhode Island are the most Democratic at D+15 (and D+39 for the [[District of Columbia]]). If all states voted exactly on partisan lines according to this index in a presidential election (including ohio at R+0 for the GOP), the democrats would win the election 307-231 electoral votes.
The most Republican congressional district to be represented by a Democrat is [[Texas's 17th congressional district]], which has a CPVI of R+18. It is represented by [[Chet Edwards]]. The most Democratic congressional district to be represented by a Republican is [[Delaware's At-large congressional district]], which has a CPVI of D+7. It is represented by [[Michael N. Castle]].
The most Republican congressional district to be represented by a Democrat is [[Texas's 17th congressional district]], which has a CPVI of R+18. It is represented by [[Chet Edwards]](which ironically is President Bush's home district). The most Democratic congressional district to be represented by a Republican is [[Delaware's At-large congressional district]], which has a CPVI of D+7. It is represented by [[Michael N. Castle]].
There are currently 15 Democratic leaning districts represented by Republicans and 50 Republican leaning districts represented by Democrats. Therefore 65 of the 434 districts which are currently represented, are represented by a member of the opposite party than the way which the district leans politically. This is a cross-over rate of about 15%. There are actually 435 districts, but Ohio's 11th district is vacant due to a [[Stephanie Tubbs Jones|recent death.]] It is extremely unlikely that this district would increase the number of districts voting for the opposite party as this district is extremely partisan at D+33.
There are currently 15 Democratic leaning districts represented by Republicans and 50 Republican leaning districts represented by Democrats. Therefore 65 of the 434 districts which are currently represented, are represented by a member of the opposite party than the way which the district leans politically. This is a cross-over rate of about 15%. There are actually 435 districts, but Ohio's 11th district is vacant due to a [[Stephanie Tubbs Jones|recent death.]] It is extremely unlikely that this district would increase the number of districts voting for the opposite party as this district is extremely partisan at D+33.
Revision as of 01:18, 7 November 2008
The Cook Partisan Voting Index (CPVI), sometimes referred to as simply the Partisan Voting Index (PVI), is a measurement of how strongly an Americancongressional district leans toward one political party compared to the nation as a whole. It was developed in 1997 by Charlie Cook of the Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan political newsletter, working with Polidata, a political statistics analysis firm.
The index for each congressional district is derived by averaging its results from the prior two presidential elections and comparing them to national results. The index indicates which party's candidate was more successful in that district, as well as the number of percentage points by which its results exceeded the national average. The index is formatted as a letter + number; in a district whose CPVI score is R+2, recent Republican presidential candidates received 2 percentage points more votes than the national average. Likewise, a CPVI score of D+3 shows the Democrats received 3 percentage points more votes than the national average.
Extremes
The most Democratic congressional districts in the country are New York's 15th and 16th at D+43, while the most Republican district is Utah's 1st with a PVI of R+26. As for states as a whole, Utah is the most Republican at R+22, and Massachusetts, New York and Rhode Island are the most Democratic at D+15 (and D+39 for the District of Columbia). If all states voted exactly on partisan lines according to this index in a presidential election (including ohio at R+0 for the GOP), the democrats would win the election 307-231 electoral votes.
There are currently 15 Democratic leaning districts represented by Republicans and 50 Republican leaning districts represented by Democrats. Therefore 65 of the 434 districts which are currently represented, are represented by a member of the opposite party than the way which the district leans politically. This is a cross-over rate of about 15%. There are actually 435 districts, but Ohio's 11th district is vacant due to a recent death. It is extremely unlikely that this district would increase the number of districts voting for the opposite party as this district is extremely partisan at D+33.
