Vallejo’s Redistricting Means Losing Rep. Mike Thompson

Photo: US House of Representatives

Vallejo is currently dealing with redistricting, based on the latest census data. I for one haven’t paid as much attention to this as I should, it is indeed damn important.

But the redistricting will mean that we lose Rep. Mike Thompson, a popular politician here who has been re-elected many times, with as much as 80 percent of the vote in 2014.

Replacing him will be Democrat John Garamendi. Garamendi has served as a rep for Fairfield and Suisun City, as well as insurance commissioner and lieutenant governor. He has been critical of Trump and has voted in line with President Joe Biden 100 percent of the time, according to FiveThirtyEight.

State reps are used to being shuffled around when areas redistrict, but Thompson’s district rep here, Mel Orpilla, is a Vallejo resident and very active in the community.

Jack Stelzer, Thompson’s communication director, admitted that the new district lines are “a little funky.” He said that Thompson will now gain Vacaville, Dixon, Davis, Woodland, Rio Vista, and “up past Lake County.” He also said this is a done deal, no turning back.

Thompson has put a bright spin on the development, saying in a press release that he grew up in his new district and has lived his whole life there, and is “humbled” at the “outpouring of support.”

Stelzer also pointed to a handy new district map at this link.

You can email me at katy@katystclair.com