In redistricting, big say for big cities in DC power balance

By BOBBY CAINA CALVAN
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — As political muscle goes, big doesn’t automatically translate to power. That’s the case every four years when the some of the country’ biggest cities, including New York and Chicago, become mostly irrelevant on the Electoral College map. But the surge in the nation’s urban population could give these cities greater influence in reshaping the balance of power in Washington as the next congressional redistricting gets underway. Republicans in Arizona, Florida, Georgia and Texas are expected to use the redistricting process to benefit their ranks. But Democrats may have opportunities of their own, especially in New York and Illinois.