We would be in Gulfland:
Capital: HoustonOther Cities: Corpus Christi, Beaumont, Baytown, GalvestonPopulation (2008 Estimate): 7,494,089 (about as many as Virginia)Congressional Districts: 10 (would increase to 11 following 2010 reallocation)Electoral Votes: 12 (would increase to 13 following 2010 reallocation)Area: 36,547 square miles (14% of former Texas territory, about as large as Indiana)Demographics: 32% Hispanic, 16% Black, 5% AsianEconomic: 32% college degree (adults 25+); 16% below poverty line2008 Vote (Excludes third parties): McCain 1,350,322 (56.1%), Obama 1,058,446 (43.9%)
This somewhat unusually-shaped state, which looks a bit like West Virginia rotated 90 degrees, would contain the Houston metroplex, while then meandering to include nearly the entirety of Texas' Gulf Coast, from the Louisiana border up to (but not including) Texas' southermost reaches in Cameron County. Gulfland's economy would likely be heavily dependant on offshore drilling platforms in the Gulf of Mexico.
However, there are a few things for Democrats to like about Gulfland -- it would be a majority-minority state (although barely) and Barack Obama won Houston's Harris County in November (also barely). Gulfland might be incrementally more competitive than Trinity, although very likely only for the Senate and not the Presidency, as Democrats have been gradually losing ground in this part of the country.
