As the map of Virginia on page one of this edition, the proposed new redistricting of U.S. congressional districts designed by the now-stronger Democratic majority in the state legislature, and which voters in Virginia will probably have the chance to vote on n April, is the very epitome of what the colorful term, “gerrymander,” means.
Without apology, Democratic leaders in Virginia have worked out this map in their effort counter an identical effort initiated by President Trump to redraw districts in Texas in an attempt to give MAGA Republicans an edge in the November midterms and the 2028 presidential election.Virginians would not be asked to vote for this new map if Texans hadn’t already done it first. Additionally, Democrats in California have also weighed in to counter the Trump move in Texas, and other states undoubtedly will, as well.
So, while there will be a lot of hand wringing and pearl clutching over what’s being proposed in Virginia, when faced with what Trump has been trying to do, to skew all future elections in MAGA’s favor, in the spirit of the violent assault on the nation’s capital in January 6, 2021, there is little doubt in our minds that this is how Virginians must “fight fire with fire” in the defense of democracy.
Lest we forget, in the redistricting following the 2010 U.S. Census, a process normally done every 10 years, a Republican majority in Richmond drew U.S. congressional boundary maps that permitted only two Democratic-majority districts out of 11 at that time.
Hopefully, if the current effort succeeds, by the next normal redistricting round following the 2030 U.S. Census, Virginia’s congressional district boundaries will revert back to roughly how they are right now, where Democrats control seven of the state’s 11 districts.
But this current “10-1” plan, as readers can see on the page one state map, is designed to counter Trump’s Texas move by giving Democrats the edge in an additional three districts n Virginia, effectively cancelling out the Trump move in Texas.
In this context, it is heartening for citizens of Falls Church to learn that the new plan keeps their “favorite son,” U.S. Rep. Don Beyer as their U.S. congressional representative. Beyer, with his parents and brother Mike, founded their family business in Falls Church in the 1970s and he was president for a year of the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce in the 1980s. So, keeping him representing the Little City matters a lot.
But that notwithstanding, we adamantly support this new redistricting plan and enthusiastically encourage our readers to do likewise. It will be a challenge to win the statewide referendum in April, and it will take every vote we can muster to stop Trump.