Cries of “they took our jobs” can be replaced with “they took our votes,” thanks to census data that will shift seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and electoral votes away from the Midwest and Northeast to southern and western states.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports slow population growth and — in some cases (we’re looking at you, Michigan) — population declines in those regions were outpaced by sharp increases in the Sun Belt. Ohio, New York, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey and Pennsylvania will all give up Congressional seats in 2013. The losses translate to less political clout and fewer job opportunities.

If you’ve made the shift from the cold parts of the country to warmer climates over the past decade, what sparked your move?

Rust Belt states losing people, political clout [St. Louis Post-Dispatchj]co

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