US Politics
Democrats prepare to spend millions in Virginia redistricting effort, top lawmaker says
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The Democratic Party is preparing to invest tens of millions into a redistricting initiative in Virginia, aiming to secure an additional four seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries confirmed the party’s commitment, stating on CNN’s State of the Union program that Democrats will do “whatever it takes” to ensure a Virginia ballot initiative succeeds in an April voter referendum.
This aggressive push for new voting maps in Virginia and Maryland is part of an increasingly partisan approach to redistricting. It seeks to bolster Democratic representation in Congress and offset similar efforts by Republicans, who have already enacted new district lines in states such as Texas, Missouri, Ohio, and North Carolina.
These strategic maneuvers come ahead of November’s midterm elections, with Republicans currently holding a slim majority in the House.
Voters in California approved a Democratic-backed redistricting measure. Some Democrats also hope to redraw the congressional map in Maryland to eliminate its sole Republican-held seat, but the state Senate president, Democrat Bill Ferguson, said there is not enough support in his chamber and that he does not plan to hold a vote on the bill.
Jeffries on Sunday said he had not recently spoken to Ferguson, but would have a conversation with him “at some point” if he continues to oppose the redistricting proposal.
The effort to redraw districts comes months ahead of the November midterm elections, where Democrats will try to wrest control of the U.S. Congress from Republicans. In response to a question about what Democrats would spend on the Virginia effort, Jeffries told CNN the party will do “whatever it takes” to win that April referendum.
The U.S. Supreme Court in 2019 stripped federal courts of their power to police partisan voting maps, opening the door to state-by-state battles to craft congressional districts. Last year, Republican President Donald Trump demanded that his party redraw the maps to their benefit, sparking a battle with Democrats who in turn adopted a more aggressive approach to the issue.
The Virginia Supreme Court said on Friday it would allow a Democratic-backed redistricting effort to head to a voter referendum in April.
“We’re striking back,” Jeffries told CNN. “We’re going to make sure that there’s a fair national map.”
U.S. Senator Thom Tillis, a Republican from North Carolina, said on CBS News’ “Face the Nation” that he worried about his party’s ability to maintain control in the House, partly because of redistricting.