Virginia voters narrowly accepted a hotly-contested redistricting referendum Tuesday that would have huge implications for which get together controls the Home of the Representatives after the 2026 midterm elections.
The aggressive gerrymandering measure, which might internet Democrats 4 congressional seats, handed in a 50% to 49% vote.
The referendum is anticipated to lead to a dramatic energy swing, probably giving Democrats management of all however one of many state’s 11 congressional seats subsequent yr.
Virginia’s congressional delegation presently breaks 6-5 in favor of Democrats, however the brand new map goals to shift it to a 10-1 cut up.
Republicans have lambasted the weird district boundaries within the new map as an try to silence conservatives in a former Vice President Kamala Harris gained with slightly below 52% of the favored vote in 2024.
President Trump rallied towards the redistricting effort on Monday, warning the end result would have “main penalties for our whole nation.”
“We’ll have one seat. At most, we’ll have one seat. And we are able to’t try this,” the president mentioned throughout a tele-rally with Home Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), calling the measure a “shameful effort to disenfranchise” conservative voters.
“If this referendum passes, Democrats will silence the voices of Virginia conservatives and push the identical loopy radical left insurance policies in Congress that [Virginia Democratic Gov. Abigail] Spanberger is now bringing to Virginia,” Trump warned.
“You’ve been dealt a foul hand with this governor that you’ve,” he lamented.
Johnson urged Virginians to get out to the polls to defeat “essentially the most gerrymandered map within the nation” and “save our Republican majority within the Home.”
The Home speaker argued “excessive Democrats” aimed to “wipe out 4 Republican seats multi functional fell swoop for one purpose: they need to cease President Trump and our agenda in its tracks.”
The poll measure sought to amend Virginia’s structure to offer the Democrat-majority Normal Meeting energy to redraw the state’s congressional district traces.
It’s the most recent salvo in a redistricting warfare set off when Trump pushed GOP-controlled states to interact in uncommon mid-decade redistricting as a way of serving to Republicans within the midterm elections.
Republicans shall be defending their razor-thin Home majority within the fall.
Texas, Missouri, Ohio, and North Carolina have redrawn district maps to favor Republicans.
Florida can also be slated to pursue redistricting that would add GOP seats to the Home.
In the meantime, California voters accepted new congressional maps final November geared toward canceling out the potential GOP good points in Texas.
“As we speak’s redistricting referendum is about one factor: President Trump’s energy seize,” Spanberger wrote on X earlier than polls closed.
“Final summer season, he mentioned he’s ‘entitled’ to extra seats in Congress, and states throughout the nation set to work to offer him what he demanded,” she added. “You’ll be able to push again, Virginia. Vote YES.”
Spanberger infamously mentioned throughout her 2025 gubernatorial marketing campaign that “I’ve no plans to redistrict Virginia.”
