DCCC official: Dems can win back House despite redistricting

“It does create an uncertainty for many of these candidates who want to step up. … Some of these people will make an assessment at the end of the day around redistricting,” she said.

Initial redistricting maps have indicated that some Democratic incumbents could be drawn into the same district in states such as Ohio, Michigan and California.

In Michigan, Democratic Reps. Sandy Levin and Gary Peters have been drawn together, and in Ohio, Rep. Dennis Kucinich appears likely to be drawn into the districts of Reps. Betty Sutton (D) and Marcia Fudge (D). If Kucinich chooses to run for Congress in Ohio, he would be forced into a primary against a fellow Democratic incumbent. However, Kucinich has not tamped down rumors that he might move to Washington state and run for a seat there instead.

In California, as many as four seats could pit Democratic incumbents against each other. Democratic Reps. Howard Berman and Brad Sherman could be drawn into the same territory.

Similarly, Rep. Linda Sanchez (D) has been drawn into Rep. Laura Richardson’s district (D), though because Richardson has faced ethics questions in the past, Sanchez could run there. Rep. Bob Filner (D) has been drawn into Rep. Susan Davis’s (D) turf, though he could leave Congress to run for mayor of San Diego. Democratic Reps. Pete Stark and Jerry McNerney could also be lumped together. McNerney barely won reelection in 2010 and he could become a redistricting casualty.

Schwartz said the DCCC has not gotten involved with Democratic incumbents who could be drawn into the same district, though on occasion, they might pressure individual candidates about who should run.

“We don’t get involved with that. … We might have those conversations with some people about who should run, but at the end of the day, it’s their decision,” she said.

Schwartz also expressed confidence that President Obama would win Pennsylvania in 2012.

“I’m not too deeply worried about that,” she said when asked if she thought of Obama’s chances of winning the state. “We have not been hurt as badly as some other states.”

Describing Pennsylvania as a “pretty blue state,” she also said that Democrats have a good chance of winning back a couple seats in the state in 2012.

— This post was updated at 1:47 p.m.