Two Michigan House Democrats Will Go Head to Head in 2022 Primary Due to Redistricting

Due to redistricting, two Michigan House Democrats in neighboring districts will go head to head in the 2022 midterm primary.

On Tuesday, the state’s 13-member “independent” redistricting commission approved the new map, labeled “Chestnut,” with eight votes, shifting the state’s districts and forcing incumbents to decide where they would run for reelection.

Shortly after, Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI), who currently represents the eleventh congressional district, and Rep. Andy Levin (D-MI), who currently represents the ninth congressional district, announced they would be running in the newly-drawn eleventh congressional district due to the redistricting process cutting one congressional seat from the state after the 2020 census data was released.

Stevens, who recently moved to Waterford Township, which is near the north side of the new district’s border, said in a statement she is excited to continue representing her home, Oakland County.

However, shortly after Stevens’ statement, Levin said he will run for reelection in the newly-drawn eleventh district where he grew up and lives. Levin also highlighted that his hometown, Berkley, is in the district.

The 2020 census was the fifth consecutive time the state had a congressional seat cut during the redistricting process since 1980, when the state had 19 seats in the House. The Detroit Free Press reported:

Michigan’s resident population was 10.077 million — and the state had an overall apportionment population of 10.084 million when accounting for Michiganders living or stationed overseas — an increase of 2% since 2010. While that rate was better than Illinois — which had a slight loss in population — it was worse than other states in the Midwest. Nationally, the fastest growing state was Utah, which grew 18.4% over the decade. West Virginia shrank the most, losing 3.25% of its population.

Overall, the Midwest grew by 3.1%, the slowest regional growth rate in the country. The Northeast was next with a 4.1% rate of growth. Comparatively, the West grew by 9.2% and the South by 10.2%.

As such, five states — Colorado, Florida, Montana, North Carolina and Oregon — gained a seat in Congress, while Texas gained two. States losing a seat included California, New York and West Virginia, as well as the three Midwestern states and Pennsylvania.

However, the newly drawn eleventh congressional district is considered by FiveThirtyEight to be safe for Democrats since it contains Oakland County, which voted for President Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr., Stevens, and Levin in the last election.

Both representatives were first elected in 2018 and reelected in 2020 in their respective districts. This year, since they are both incumbents facing each other, their race will be closely watched.

Jacob Bliss is a reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow him on Twitter.