Virginia Democrats are poised to enter the nationwide redistricting battle, according to three people familiar with the plans, taking on an effort to redraw the state’s congressional lines just days before closely watched elections in the state.
How exactly the state’s map will change is not yet clear. The state’s delegation is currently split between six Democrats and five Republicans, with three members — Democrat Eugene Vindman and Republicans Rob Wittman and Jen Kiggans — in potentially competitive races.
The three people familiar with the process were all granted anonymity to discuss the not-yet-public plans.
The surprise effort would need to come together quickly, and it could face procedural and political hurdles. Virginia has a constitutionally mandated process that hands redistricting over to a bipartisan commission, and the decision to circumvent or eliminate that commission must ultimately go in front of voters. To do so, both chambers of Virginia’s Legislature must pass the proposed amendment in sessions bookending an election.
