House members in gerrymandered districts care about the party activists who tend to be the loudest voices.

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Partisans of both parties have gerrymandered districts to their liking, so few seats are likely to change hands.

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Gerrymandered districts mean that most congressmen fear their partisans in the primaries more than their opponents in the general election.

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California's districts are so shamelessly gerrymandered that hardly any races are competitive.

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In places with gerrymandered districts, the outcome could even be more polarisation.

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John Prescott this year has gerrymandered the council tax system, the grant that supports councils, which is the majority of the money they receive.

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Gerrymandered districts produce extremist politicians, among whom agreement is all but impossible since two-thirds majorities are needed to pass budgets and impose new taxes.

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They figured that a young Latina with a background as a public defender would have no trouble winning in a gerrymandered district that was 60% Hispanic and in which Democrats boasted a 22-point registration advantage.

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"I am less optimistic about these things in the House because the Republican party has so few moderates, most are in safe gerrymandered districts, and the NRA provides critical funding and grassroots resources, " Webster said.

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