Question

The Democratic gerrymandering strategies backfired in the 2010 congressional election because over the years, Democrats in many states created many congressional districts in which they diluted Republican voters to approximately 45% of the electorate. They thought this would be a safe margin for Democratic politicians to win every future election. However, in a "wave year," swing voters abandoned the party in power and switched alliances, and suddenly the 45% vote for Republicans changed into 50%.

A) True
B) False

Answer 1

False. The assertion regarding Democratic gerrymandering in the 2010 congressional election is false, as gerrymandering is a common practice by both parties, not solely Democrats, and other factors also influence election outcomes.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement that Democratic gerrymandering strategies backfired in the 2010 congressional election is False. While it's true that both political parties have used gerrymandering to create 'safe' districts, the 2010 midterms were influenced by a variety of factors. Notably, the backfire in question is often attributed to Republican-led redistricting efforts post-2010 census, which capitalized on advanced technology and voter data to redraw districts that favored their electoral outcomes. These redistricting efforts made use of refined computing technology and algorithms to predict voter behavior with remarkable precision, leading to a political climate where fewer moderates were elected to Congress, and incumbent advantage was bolstered.

In states where a single party holds dominance, gerrymandering can perpetuate that power by manipulating legislative district boundaries. However, it’s important to remember that while gerrymandering is a tactic used to influence electoral outcomes, it's not the sole reason for a political shift in a 'wave year' — broader political sentiments, national issues, and voter turnout also play significant roles.