Virginia Democrats Call Legislature Into Special Session To Redraw Congressional Maps

Democrats in the Virginia legislature will reconvene next week to consider redrawing the state’s congressional maps ahead of the 2026 midterms, the speaker of the house of delegates announced Thursday.The initiative has the full backing of the House minority leader, Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, who has been pushing blue states to redraw maps in response to red states’ redistricting efforts. The speaker, Don Scott, notified lawmakers in a letter on Thursday that they will need to return to Richmond for a special session beginning on Monday afternoon. Democrats are expected to call up a bill during the session that would allow them to redraw the congressional maps.The house of delegates is the lower chamber in Virginia’s bicameral general assembly. Mr. Scott’s decision to call it back was first reported by Virginia Scope. If Democrats move forward with the plan, they would likely target two or three seats currently held by Republicans. Congresswoman Jen Kiggans, who narrowly won re-election last year, could see her district drawn to include the more Democratic parts of Norfolk and its surrounding suburbs. Congressman John McGuire currently represents Charlottesville and the more rural, southern part of the state, though his district could be drawn in such a way as to include more of Richmond. Congressman Rob Wittman may also see his district shift to the left if Democrats redraw it to include parts of Richmond or Fredericksburg. Before Mr. Scott announced the special session on Thursday, the majority leader of the state senate, Scott Surovell, confirmed to the New York Times that the legislature would be coming back to “address” the redistricting issue. The process for Democrats to redraw their state’s congressional maps in Virginia looks similar to how California has had to move forward. Over the summer, Governor Gavin Newsom asked his legislature to disempower his state’s nonpartisan redistricting commission, which then allowed lawmakers to set up a statewide ballot initiative for this November.Voters will ultimately decide whether California Democrats will be allowed to redraw maps; based on polling, it appears that the redistricting effort will be approved by a substantial margin. If it succeeds, Democrats will likely gain five seats in that state. In Virginia, the requirements are slightly different, though similar. Two sessions of the state legislature must independently approve legislation to suspend the state’s redistricting commission. Messrs. Scott and Surovell, along with other Democratic leaders, would have to pass one bill in the coming weeks, and then another bill after the new session of the legislature begins in January. The state senate is not up for re-election again until 2027, though Virginians will elect new lawmakers to the house of delegates next month. Democrats are expected to pick up seats in the chamber while flipping the governor’s mansion to blue from red. Once the legislature has voted to suspend the state’s redistricting commission in two separate sessions, voters will have to approve the move in a statewide ballot initiative. National Democrats have been prowling across the country, looking for blue states that could redraw their congressional maps ahead of next year’s midterms. Maryland’s governor, Wes Moore, says he may work with legislators to eliminate his state’s one Republican district. New York’s governor, Kathy Hochul, says she is prepared to go to “war” with the GOP on redistricting, though she will not be able to do so until at least 2027. Colorado and New Jersey are other states that Democrats believe could redraw maps, if not by next year, then in time for the 2028 elections. Mr. Jeffries on Thursday confirmed to reporters at the Capitol that he supports Illinois Democrats redrawing their maps. Redistricting in the state, however, has been met with some concern among black Illinois lawmakers who want to protect majority-minority districts. Mr. Jeffries said he would ensure that those districts would be protected. Earlier this week, Punchbowl News first reported that Mr. Jeffries is set to headline a fundraiser in Ohio, where Republicans may redraw their state’s maps. The House minority leader told reporters on Thursday that he would support ballot initiatives in Missouri and Ohio to block the gerrymandered maps from being used in 2026.

Virginia Democrats Call Legislature Into Special Session To Redraw Congressional Maps

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