Virginia’s Democratic state legislature Friday agreed to carry a referendum on a redistricting plan that would flip as many as 4 Republican seats within the midterm elections.
Within the newest pushback towards President Trump’s unprecedented mid-decade gerrymandering plans, Virginia’s State Senate voted 21-18 alongside celebration traces to authorize a statewide up-or-down vote this spring on a yet-to-be unveiled new congressional map.
The constitutional modification earlier previous the state home by a whopping 62-33 margin after Democrats racked up sweeping features within the Outdated Dominion State in final yr’s off-year election.
If authorised on the polls, the aggressive transfer may flip the state’s 6-5 Democratic congressional delegation to a 9-2 and even 10-1 edge.
Newly elected Gov. Abigail Spanberger has mentioned she prefers a 9-2 map, which could make issues simpler for the present Democratic Home lawmakers to characterize related districts. However Democratic state lawmakers are desperate to push for probably the most features doable.
AP Photograph/Steve Helber
Virginia Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger throughout an interview on the Capitol in Richmond, Va. on Tuesday. (AP Photograph/Steve Helber)
The political stakes are monumental as each events transfer to redraw maps in states they management to realize an edge within the midterms, the place Democrats hope to flip the U.S. Home and provide a test to Trump’s proper wing agenda.
Republicans maintain only a five-seat majority, so solely a handful of seats altering arms may make an enormous distinction.
Trump began the battle by pushing Texas to attract a brand new map that would flip between three and 5 Democratic-held seats. California hit again with a transfer much like Virginia’s, and voters handed a map that places 5 GOP seats in Democratic crosshairs.
A number of smaller states have additionally joined within the effort.
Florida Republicans say they might attempt to redraw maps to get rid of as much as 4 or 5 Democratic seats within the Sunshine State.
New York Democrats are unable to push full-fledged redistricting till the 2028 election on the earliest. However a pending voting rights lawsuit may nix the Staten Island-based GOP district held by Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, the one Republican within the NYC delegation.
