The long-awaiting Virginia State Senate-approved U.S. Congressional redistricting map was passed today, 20-19,  and now goes to Gov. Bob McDonnell’s desk, viewed as a victory for Republicans, strengthening their hold statewide on eight of the 11 districts they currently control. To achieve this result, a Northern Virginia Democratic official told the News-Press this afternoon, the 8th District held by Rep. Jim Moran and the 11th District held by Rep. Gerry Connolly were re-drawn as more strongly Democratic, in the case of Connolly’s district to protect the 10th District held by Republican Frank Wolf from facing a strong Democratic challenge, especially were Wolf not to seek re-election.

Rep. Moran will continue to represent the City of Falls Church for the next decade, as he has since 1992, as well as areas of Arlington, Alexandria and eastern Fairfax County. Connollly gains Reston and Herndon in Fairfax County, ceding Republican-learning areas in western Prince William County to Wolf. Wolf needed a boost from redistricting, it was pointed out, because President Obama carried his district by three percentage points in 2008.