Pennsylvania’s new congressional districts are compact, contiguous, and don’t split many municipalities. However, unfortunately for most residents of Carbon County, we lose our Congressman Matt Cartwright, one of the best members currently serving in the House. Cartwright is intelligent, responsive to his constituents, has an excellent staff both in the district and in Washington, is able to work with Republicans, and is a real American patriot.
Carbon could have been lumped with Lehigh and Northampton, which probably would have been a Democratic district. Carbon could have been attached to Lackawanna and Luzerne, which also would also lean Democratic.
Instead our new district, the 9th, goes west and south and includes Columbia, Montour, Schuylkill, Lebanon, and part of Berks, though not Reading. Winning the district will be an uphill battle for Democrats; Billy O’Gurek, the Democratic County Chair, noted that the district went for Trump in 2016 by something like 68%. On the other hand, the wheels are coming off what once was the Trump bandwagon, so Democrats have a real opportunity.
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