MINOR looks at population shifts affecting Mississippi Congressional seats

Bill Minor: Population dictates state’s power

You may not pay much attention to population figures, but you should. Lack of it is costly in both political power, as well as economics. Perhaps the present generation knows this, but Mississippi has lost considerable influence in the U.S. House of Representatives in the past five decades because of its stagnant population growth. Two of the state’s seats have gone to Georgia after one decennial census and Texas after another.

Back in 1940, Mississippi was a power in the U.S. House with seven seats. Today, we have only four House seats and none of our congressmen heads power committees in the lower branch of the U.S. Congress.

Clarion Ledger
6/16/16