Virginia Democrats managed to flip two House seats this year despite the state Supreme Court striking down a redistricting plan designed to flip four, but key lawmakers are not ruling out another attempt at new maps to keep the blue wave rolling.
“We don’t know if we’re going to go back and take a look at that or not,” House Speaker Don Scott (D-Portsmouth) told reporters Tuesday at a briefing to highlight upcoming legislative priorities.
Democrats who control both houses of the General Assembly pushed through a proposed amendment to the state constitution early this year that would have enabled them to redraw congressional maps.
Voters approved the referendum, which Democrats pitched as a response to Republican-led states drawing red-leaning districts to maintain a GOP House majority. But the Supreme Court of Virginia struck down the referendum, saying the legislative process was flawed.
Given the big Democratic wins around the country last week, Scott said President Donald Trump’s effort “wasn’t a gerrymander, it was a dummymander.” But the Republican maps are still in place for the 2028 elections.
Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell (D-Fairfax), said his caucus has been more focused on legislation to address affordability issues. But he said that “the Virginia voters made very clear they supported what we did” on redistricting.
Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D), who was ambivalent about the redistricting effort, did not rule out a redux when speaking to reporters last week. “What we did in Virginia was always meant to be temporary and responsive” to Trump’s actions, she said. With two seats flipped, “we will work hard in 2028 to send a couple more folks to serve with them.”
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