Virginia Congressional Map Would Give Dems 10-1 Advantage

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Whereas the Virginia redistricting effort is presently within the midst of a authorized battle, that didn’t cease Virginia legislators from unveiling a proposed congressional map that aggressively gerrymanders the state in favor of Democrats.

In response to The New York Occasions, the proposed map might give Democrats a 10-1 benefit within the midterms. Virginia’s present congressional breakdown consists of six Democrats and 5 Republicans. That is undoubtedly essentially the most aggressive gerrymander we’ve seen within the ongoing redistricting battle. “As we speak we’re leveling the enjoying area,” Democratic President of the Virginia Senate L. Louise Lucas stated shortly earlier than the maps have been launched. “These should not unusual occasions, and Virginia won’t sit on the sidelines whereas it occurs.”

“We stated 10-1, and we meant it,” Lucas added.

Y’all, that is the power I would like from Democrats nationwide. We’re in a knife combat for democracy, and I’m glad to see someone performing prefer it.

Understandably, Virginia Republicans weren’t enthused in regards to the new map. “This map fully disregards widespread sense and makes use of communities of curiosity to silence tens of millions of Virginians,” Mike Younger, the president of Virginians for Truthful Maps, a conservative group opposing redistricting, stated in an announcement. “This isn’t simply excessive. This is a humiliation to the Commonwealth, and it’s precisely what voters rejected in 2020.”

The nationwide redistricting battle started final summer season when President Donald Trump pressured a number of Pink states to start uncommon, mid-decade redistricting efforts. The GOP holds a slim majority within the Home, with Democrats solely needing a internet achieve of three seats within the midterms to flip management.

Virginia was a shock entrant into the nationwide redistricting battle, although a decide dominated final week that the method state Democrats used to set off the redistricting effort was illegitimate and barred the map from being applied. Virginia Democrats have appealed the ruling, and the destiny of the map is presently within the fingers of the Virginia Supreme Courtroom. Even when the Democrats’ attraction is profitable, the map would nonetheless should be authorized by voters earlier than it may very well be applied.

Ought to Virginia’s proposed map clear all these hurdles and really be realized, it may very well be essentially the most consequential.

Republicans have efficiently handed new congressional maps in Missouri, North Carolina, and Texas that ostensibly put one other seven Home seats in play in districts that favor Republicans. Whereas California efficiently applied a brand new map that cancels out the positive factors of the Texas map, there’s nonetheless the looming menace of Florida’s redistricting effort, which might doubtlessly give Republicans 5 extra seats.

But even with a brand new Florida map being doubtlessly put in play, traits in particular elections and nationwide polling nonetheless level towards a troublesome path for Republicans to take care of management of the Home. Miami-Dade not too long ago elected its first Democratic mayor in many years, and simply final week, a Texas Democrat received a state Senate seat in a district Trump received by double digits. Texas’ gerrymander was constructed round the concept that the GOP would keep its positive factors with Latino voters within the 2024 election, however that math could have been questionable.

Who would’ve thought {that a} racist mass immigration marketing campaign that has resulted in hundreds of Latinos being racially profiled and, in a number of situations, detained regardless of being U.S. residents, would make them much less inclined to vote Republican?