Virginia
Virginia Democrats could redraw state’s congressional maps
Virginia Democrats plan to redraw congressional maps
Just weeks before Virginia elects a new governor, there’s a surprise move that could upend the state’s congressional makeup. Democrats, who control the state’s general assembly, are poised to hold a special session in Richmond to redraw congressional maps. It could wipe out GOP seats and put more democrats in Congress. FOX 5’s Tom Fitzgerald is in Arlington with more.
ARLINGTON, Va. – Just weeks before Virginia elects a new governor, there’s a surprise move that could upend the state’s congressional makeup.
Democrats, who control the state’s General Assembly, are poised to hold a special session in Richmond to redraw congressional maps. It could wipe out GOP seats and put more Democrats in Congress.
It’s a move that’s sending shockwaves through Virginia politics. Virginia’s congressional delegation of 11 seats is made up of six Democrats and five Republicans but if Democrats
in Richmond move to redraw those districts, it could wipe out some of those seats held by Republicans.
What they’re saying:
The plan has been denounced by Republican. Lieutenant Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears who would preside over a special session, says it’s a ploy to take her off Virginia Republican.
Congressman Morgan Griffith tells FOX 5 the move is “underhanded.”
“The Democrats have a plan to eliminate the nonpartisan districting that the voters overwhelmingly supported just a few years ago,” Griffith said.
Democratic Congressman James Walkinshaw says the GOP started this effort by redistricting Democratic seats in Texas and North Carolina.
“We’ve seen Republicans across the country — neighbors in North Carolina and obviously in Texas — gerrymandering in very extreme ways, so look, we can’t take anything off the table,” Walkinshaw said.
Dig deeper:
The timing is raising eyebrows across Virginia amid a heated election season.
In just 12 days, the Commonwealth holds elections for Governor, Lt. Governor, Attorney General and all 100 seats in the House of Delegates.
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger told FOX 5 just weeks ago that she would not support a redistricting effort because the state already had a process in place
“We spent years putting in place via a constitutional amendment that we have a bipartisan commission. Any efforts to try and change that would require another multi-year process so the answer isn’t feasible in Virginia,” Spanberger said.
“There is always a risk. It’s purple state and the Schar Center/Washington Post poll showed today that, minutes before our interview, Spanberger is ahead 12 points,” said David Ramadan with George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy.
Whether or not Earle-Sears or Spanberger wins next month, that would do little to end state democrats’ efforts to redistrict republican seats.
Under Virginia law, the General Assembly holds the power to make the rules on redistricting, not the governor.