Dems’ proposed congressional map heads to Spanberger, court ruling threatens to derail redistricting

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- A potential new Virginia congressional map is now in the hands of Democratic Governor Abigail Spanberger after the House of Delegates signed off on Senate changes to the bill containing the map on Friday.

Democrats say the map, which features ten seats that favor Democrats and only one that favors a Republican, is about evening the playing field after President Donald Trump successfully lobbied several states to redraw their maps to benefit Republicans.

“We are being as transparent as the president was in his call for more seats. We are trying to maximize what Virginia can do to help the nation course correct and save our Democracy,” Delegate Cia Price (D-Newport News) told 8News.

Virginia House passes bill to adopt proposed congressional map

However, Republicans say the map is a partisan power grab, and Spanberger should veto it. 

“Governor Spanberger campaigned and has stated that she wants to sign bipartisan bills. Well, here’s your opportunity to not sign a totally partisan bill,” said House Minority Leader Terry Kilgore (R-Scott).

Spanberger’s decision comes as a judge in Tazewell County has put Democrats’ redistricting efforts in jeopardy.

The judge temporarily blocked the Virginia Department of Elections from going forward with an April referendum that is needed to give Democrats the power to implement the map. 

“We believe that the judge got it right. This has been a half-baked idea all along,” Kilgore told 8News. 

Lawmakers react after VA Supreme Court greenlights redistricting referendum

Democratic Attorney General Jay Jones has vowed to appeal the judge’s decision. 

“I’m confident that the Supreme Court is gonna handle this latest Tazewell decision like they handled the last one,” said House Speaker Don Scott (D-Portsmouth), referring to a previous decision from the Supreme Court of Virginia that ruled the April referendum could go forward. “I’m very confident that based on the law and our Constitution, that we’ve done everything by the book.”

Scott told 8News Friday afternoon that he expected Governor Spanberger to sign the map into law by Feb. 23.

Meanwhile, the timeline on Jones’ appeal is unknown, but early voting on the referendum was originally set to begin on March 6.