Virginia Democrats' Redistricting Ploy May Backfire, Experts Say

Redistricting Special Session in Virginia

• 🎯 Virginia Democrats called a special legislative session to push redistricting efforts, despite voters approving a bipartisan redistricting constitutional amendment in 2020.
• 💰 This move appears to be influenced by a $150,000 payment from the National Democratic Redistricting Commission to Abigail Spanberger and the House Democratic Caucus just before the special session was announced, suggesting a potential quid pro quo.

Potential Backfire on Democrats

• ⚠️ While the redistricting effort might remove Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears from the campaign trail, former Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli believes it will backfire on Democrats.
• 🗳️ The Democrats' push for redistricting goes against the will of 66% of Virginians who voted for a bipartisan amendment.
• ⏳ The timing is critical, as the election has already started in Virginia (September 19th), and the constitutional amendment process requires it to pass before and after an intervening election.

Constitutional Hurdles and Future Implications

• 📜 If the special session passes a redistricting plan, it will likely not be on the ballot for the upcoming midterm elections due to constitutional requirements.
• 🗓️ Instead, it would have to wait until the 2027 elections for potential voter approval in 2028.
• 📉 Democrats may not want to campaign on a redistricting push that contradicts the popular vote from 2020, especially in an election year.