Thompson a 'power broker' in redistricting

Rep. Mike Thompson may have no plans to address the California Citizens Redistricting Commission when it meets Friday night in Santa Rosa.

But the St. Helena Democrat could play a major role nationally in how political districts are designed.

Roll Call magazine recently put Thompson at the top of its list of the "Top 10 Power Brokers in Redistricting."

"These are the members who will cut deals or determine which of their colleagues' seats will stay or go," the magazine reported this month.

Thompson is charged with managing redistricting for the House Democratic Caucus, according to Roll Call.

"Nowhere is that task more complicated and complex than in his home state, where Democrats must hold their advantage in the Congressional delegation to make up for other anticipated losses around the country - even as Democratic-held areas in Los Angeles are losing population and some of the party's recently won House seats in the Bay Area have the potential to be drastically altered," Roll Call reported.

Thompson said his job is simply to make sure that Democrats across the country have the technical and legal resources they need for redistricting.

Thompson's sprawling North Coast district, stretching from Windsor to the Oregon border, has 704,012 residents, according to the 2010 Census, and would not have to change much to meet the population target of 702,905.

Editor's Note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly described the date of the California Citizens Redistricting Commission meeting. The commission meets on Friday May 20.