Mike Thompson Still Your Congressman? Not For Long

The state’s 1st Congressional District, represented since 1998 by Mike Thompson (D-St. Helena), has being redrawn by the state redistricting commission in a way that excludes Thompson from its borders.

Thompson will now be in the new fifth congressional district, which includes parts of Sonoma County such as Santa Rosa, but not Windsor, Healdsburg or neighboring communities.

The plan, the result of the state-wide California Citizens Redistricting Commission approved by voters in the 2010 election, redraws several districts statewide, but the splitting of Sonoma County in Thompson’s new district is of particular interest to local residents, as noted in a story this week in the Healdsburg Tribune.

“Healdsburg is one of the most charming and beautiful towns that I have had the honor to represent,” Thompson said this week. “I am saddened that the Redistricting Commission chose to separate Healdsburg and Windsor from the rest of Sonoma County in the new district. The lines don’t change until the next election and I will continue to work tirelessly for all of Sonoma County.”

Several candidates are in the running for the newly formed district, which generally runs from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Oregon border, with exceptions in the Santa Rosa area. At present there are three announced candidates from Marin County, including State Assemblyman Jared Huffman, political activist Norman Solomon, and Marin County Supervisor Susan Adams.

Petaluma City Councilwoman Tiffany Renee has also announced her intention to run for congress in the district.