State barely loses member of Congress under new census calculation

by T.W. Budig
ECM Capitol Reporter

State Demographer Tom Gillaspy projects that Minnesota would narrowly lose one of its U.S. House members, go from eight to seven, based on an analysis of new population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Gillaspy calculates that Minnesota would lose to Missouri the last congressional seat by some 1,100 people.

“Basically, this is a dead heat,” said Gillaspy in a press release. The census bureau estimates the population of Minnesota at 5,266,214 in July, a growth of about 36,000 over the previous year.

“Remember, these are just estimates by the Census Bureau and our chances of retaining eight seats are improving every day,” said Gillaspy.

“What will decide the issue is getting everyone in Minnesota counted in the 2010 Census,” he said.