Virginia Democrats move toward new map that could net House seats

Jan 16 (Reuters) – Virginia’s Democratic-controlled Senate on Friday approved a constitutional amendment that, if approved by voters, would permit lawmakers to redraw the state’s congressional lines, potentially netting Democrats up to four U.S. House of Representatives seats.

The state’s move is the latest volley in a nationwide battle over redistricting between Republicans and Democrats ahead of November’s midterm elections, when control of Congress will be at stake. Democrats need to flip only three Republican-held districts to win a majority in the 435-seat House, making every seat critical.

Democrats in the Virginia House of Delegates, the legislature’s lower chamber, approved the amendment earlier this week. The legislature is expected to schedule a special election this spring, and lawmakers have said they will release a proposed new map before then so voters can make an informed decision.

Democrats currently hold six of the state’s 11 seats, but a new map could give them as much as a 10-1 advantage.

A constitutional amendment is necessary because Virginia’s voters approved an earlier amendment in 2020 that established an independent redistricting commission. Under Friday’s amendment, lawmakers would have the power to redraw U.S. House lines in response to any other state doing so – as several Republican states have already at Trump’s urging – until 2030, when authority would revert to the commission.

Republican lawmakers accused Democrats of abandoning their principles to punish Trump and pursue power.

“That’s really the only thing that’s behind this, is that you hate the man in the White House, and you want to blunt his power,” Republican Senator Christopher Head said on the Senate floor.

Democrats said the measure was an emergency move to counter Trump’s unprecedented push for Republican states to pursue redistricting in the middle of the decade.

“It’s a temporary exception to meet an extraordinary threat,” Democratic Senator Scott Surovell said.

Redistricting typically occurs at the start of each decade to incorporate new U.S. Census data. But Trump ignited a rash of redistricting fights this summer, when he successfully urged Texas Republicans to draw a new congressional map taking aim at five Democratic incumbents.

In response, California Democrats advanced a new map targeting five Republicans there. Other states, both Republican- and Democratic-led, followed suit.

Some lawmakers have resisted, however. Indiana Republicans voted down a redistricting plan last month despite pressure from the White House, a rare rebuke of the president from members of his own party.

California’s and Virginia’s efforts have blunted what initially appeared to be a significant Republican advantage in redistricting. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican, has said his state will take up redistricting in April, which could net Republicans an additional three to five seats.

(Reporting by Joseph Ax; Editing by Daniel Wallis)