The new math in Congress

It’s easy to forget that at the time of Bill Clinton’s inauguration in 1993, the Democratic party still had a substantial Southern wing. The Democratic majority today is almost the exact same size as it was in 1993, but the regional breakdown has changed significantly. Crystal Ball provides the precise numbers: In 1993, 85 Democratic congressmen out of 258 were from the South, the largest regional bloc within the party. Today, there 62 from the South but 77 from the Northeast, up from 57 when Clinton took office. As Crystal Ball suggests, this means that today’s Democratic Party will be much more united behind liberal policies than it was under Clinton.

(Hat tip: Holly)