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Mich. Expected to Lose Another Congressional Seat DETROIT, MI (Michigan Radio) - Experts expect Michigan will lose representation in Congress when the U.S. Census releases the 2010 population count.

Census figures are used to redraw congressional districts and apportion state representation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Michigan's already lost four U.S. House seats since 1982. But Inside Michigan Politics Editor Bill Ballenger says it's not just how many seats a state has that dictates its clout in Washington D.C.

Ballenger says many observers still rank Michigan in the top five or ten most-powerful states on Capitol Hill, "because we have incredible seniority in our delegation. John Dingell is Number One out of all 435 members. John Conyers is Number Two out of all 435 members."

Ballenger says other factors can also make a difference when it comes to the state's influence in Washington. For example, Gary Peters ousted eight-term Congressman Joe Knollenberg in 2008. But Peters is a Democrat, and his party now controls the U.S. House.

Contact Sarah Hulett at sarahhu@umich.edu © Copyright 2012, Michigan Radio