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| The Squad |
Democratic politicians and commentators routinely criticize Republicans for engaging in voter suppression. They claim that their opponents engage in attempts to keep voters away from the polls, especially those who might be likely to vote for Democrats. Here is another instance of the pot calling the kettle black.
In Democratic strongholds election results are so certain, that most Democratic politicians are elected with overwhelming majorities but with only by a small percentage of the voters. For example, if we look at the “Squad”, the name appropriated by the four minority females recently elected to the House of Representatives, we see examples of what might be called reverse voter suppression.
In each case, while they won overwhelming victories in their largely urban districts, only a small percentage of the people actually voted in their districts. For example, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the now famous AOC, received 110000 votes or 78% of the votes cast in New York’s 14th Congressional district. However, the population of the district that includes parts of the boroughs of the Bronx and Queens is 691000. So, 16% of the people in the district actually voted for her, and on the basis of those 110000 votes, she calls for sweeping and substantial reforms that would impact the whole country.
Rachida Tlaib received 165000 votes or 84% of the votes cast in Michigan’s 13th Congressional district. The district is carved out of parts of Detroit and its environs and has a population of 705000. So, she was elected by 23% of her constituents. Ayanna Pressley received 212000 votes or an astounding 98% of the votes cast in the 7th Massachusetts Congressional district. That district surrounding Boston has a population of 806000. She was elected by 27% of her constituents.
Ilhan Abdullah Omar was the “Squads” top vote getter. She received 267000 votes or 78% of the total votes cast in Minnesota’s 4th Congressional district. Largely centered in Minneapolis, that district has a population of 708000. She garnered the votes of 38% of the people in her district, a very impressive total. Despite her radical views, she has more claim to electoral legitimacy than the other members of the Squad.
Actually, these low urban turnout rates in safe Blue State districts do not seem to be abnormal. James Himes, the incumbent representative from Connecticut’s largely suburban Fairfield County, won an easy victory in 2018 but only 23% of his 735000 constituents voted for him. In the hotly contested 2016 Presidential election 60% of the population did not vote.
The most striking examples of voter suppression or apathy would appear to occur in American cities. Mayor Bill De Blasio of New York City was reelected in 2018 but his 736000 voters were only 8% of the City’s 8 million plus population. With that underwhelming mandate, he decided to run for President. A couple of years ago, in nearby Bridgeport, Mayor Joseph Ganim gained an easy victory with only 11000 votes, 8% of the voters in Connecticut’s largest city. He took this victory as a mandate to run for Governor in 2018.
Are Democrats in this blue cities and districts suppressing the vote, or is it just a question of voter apathy? I suspect that apathy is the real answer. Voters realize that it is largely futile or irrelevant to vote in Congressional districts that have been so designed or “gerrymandered” that they guarantee re-election for incumbents. The four members of the Squad will never have to worry about Russian interference in their future campaigns. They probably will hold their positions for life unless they decide to go on to bigger and bigger things.
It is hard to take voting rights advocates seriously when they claim that every vote counts. What does it tell us about democracy in America when someone can get elected with 98% of the votes cast, or when only 8% of a major city’s population is all that is needed to elect a mayor?
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