Time to make more babies

Alabama's population is growing, but an Associated Press analysis of U.S. Census Bureau projections shows that the state nonetheless may lose one of its seven congressional seats in the next round of redistricting in 2010. Unless Alabama's growth surges rapidly in the next five years, two incumbents will face each other soon.

Federal voting rights laws ensure that Alabama's only black congressman, U.S. Rep. Artur Davis, D-Birmingham, will have a very safe seat. U.S. Reps. Jo Bonner, R-Mobile, and Terry Everett, R-Rehobeth, likely are also safe because they live so far away from any other incumbent. The free-for-all likely will come between two of the state's other four incumbents, assuming someone doesn't lose or retire before then.

Enjoy a map of the state's congressional districts here. Note that U.S. Reps. Robert Aderholt, R-Haleyville, and Spencer Bachus, R-Vestavia Hills, live perilously close to adjacent districts.