Virginia Democrats have taken a significant step toward redrawing congressional maps, potentially creating four additional Democratic-leaning seats ahead of the upcoming midterm elections.
The Virginia state Senate approved a constitutional amendment on Friday that allows the Democrat-controlled legislature to redraw the state’s U.S. House maps in preparation for this year’s midterm elections. This decision follows a similar vote in the state House earlier in the week and marks the final step needed to present the amendment to Virginia voters.
If approved in the upcoming spring ballot, the amendment would enable the legislature, rather than the current non-partisan commission, to redraw the congressional maps through 2030. This move positions Virginia as a critical battleground in the ongoing struggle between Republicans and Democrats to reshape congressional districts ahead of the November elections.
Currently, Democrats hold six of Virginia’s eleven U.S. House districts and are aiming to create up to four additional seats that lean Democratic. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) hailed the Senate’s decision as “a critical step in giving Virginia voters the opportunity to ensure they have fair and equal representation in Congress.”
DCCC Chair Rep. Suzan DelBene criticized Republicans, asserting that “Donald Trump and Republicans are doing everything they can to rig the midterms in their favor through unprecedented mid-decade gerrymandering.” She emphasized that Virginians would now have the chance to vote for a temporary, emergency exception that would restore fairness and level the playing field against those seeking to silence their voices.
In contrast, the Virginia Senate Republican Caucus accused Senate Democrats of advancing “a partisan gerrymandering amendment to entrench their party in power.” The Republican National Committee (RNC) labeled the amendment a “power grab,” with RNC national press secretary Kiersten Pels stating, “This is just the most recent example of Democrats’ multi-decade campaign to gerrymander in every state where they gain power.” She added that this situation exemplifies why red states are responding to counteract what they perceive as unfair districting practices in states like Illinois, New York, and California.
Virginia Democratic lawmakers plan to unveil a proposed congressional map later this month. Additionally, a Democratic-aligned nonprofit called “Virginians for Fair Elections” launched on Thursday to encourage voters to support the redistricting ballot measure.
In a broader context, former President Donald Trump has previously floated the idea of mid-decade congressional redistricting as a strategy to bolster Republican representation. This initiative aims to redraw congressional district maps in red states to strengthen the GOP’s slim House majority, particularly during midterm elections when the party in power typically faces challenges.
Trump’s initial focus was on Texas, where Republican Governor Greg Abbott called a special session of the GOP-dominated legislature to pass a new congressional map. However, Democratic state lawmakers responded by breaking quorum for two weeks in an effort to delay the bill’s passage, energizing Democrats nationwide.
In California, Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom led the charge against Trump’s redistricting efforts, resulting in voters approving Proposition 50 in November. This ballot initiative temporarily sidelined the state’s nonpartisan redistricting commission, returning map-drawing authority to the Democratic-controlled legislature, which is expected to create five additional Democratic-leaning congressional districts.
The redistricting battle has extended beyond Texas and California, with Republican-controlled states like Missouri and Ohio, as well as swing state North Carolina, drawing new maps as part of Trump’s redistricting push. In Florida, Republicans, backed by Governor Ron DeSantis, are also seeking to gain three to five additional seats through a special legislative session in April.
In a setback for Republicans, a Utah district judge rejected a congressional map proposed by the state’s GOP-dominated legislature, opting instead for an alternative that would create a Democratic-leaning district ahead of the midterms. Additionally, Indiana’s Senate defied Trump in December by rejecting a redistricting bill that had already passed the state House.
Despite these challenges, Trump secured a significant victory when the conservative majority on the Supreme Court approved Texas’ new congressional map. Other states that may become involved in the redistricting conflict include Democratic-leaning Illinois and Maryland, as well as red states with Democratic governors, such as Kentucky and Kansas.
As the redistricting wars unfold, the Supreme Court is expected to rule on Louisiana v. Callais, a pivotal case that could potentially overturn a key provision of the Voting Rights Act. A ruling favoring conservatives could lead to the redrawing of numerous majority-minority districts nationwide, significantly benefiting Republicans. However, the timeline for the court’s decision and its implications remain uncertain.
According to Fox News, the outcome of Virginia’s redistricting efforts could have lasting implications for the state’s political landscape and the balance of power in Congress.