RICHMOND, Va. — Republican state lawmakers spoke to media Monday condemning Democrats' reported plans to redraw Virginia's congressional maps — a topic that's being discussed by legislators during a special session in Richmond.
Virginia Democrats' reported redistricting effort comes after a handful of GOP-led states – including Texas, Missouri and North Carolina – revised their U.S. House districts to be more favorable towards Republicans during next year’s midterms. Democratic state lawmakers are starting to launch counter efforts, first in California and now, seemingly, in Virginia.
Watch related: Indiana's governor calls special session to redraw congressional boundaries
News of the redistricting push surfaced last week when Virginia House Speaker Don Scott, a Democrat, called a special session for Monday.
Before lawmakers reconvened, a handful of Virginia Republicans spoke to media condemning any redistricting plans that may be in the works, calling it "unconstitutional" to do so after the start of early voting.
"To target districts like ours, like mine, that we flipped two cycles ago, that we kept, not by wide margins - it’s a competitive district and always will be - but we know that," said Rep. Jen Kiggans, who represents Virginia's 2nd Congressional District, which includes Virginia Beach, the Eastern Shore, Suffolk, Franklin, Isle of Wight County and parts of Chesapeake and Southampton County. "And the independent commission that my colleagues have spoken about that we passed in 2020, that’s the fair way to do it. That’s the Virginia way.”
Watch: Spanberger and Earle-Sears rally Hampton Roads voters as Election Day nears
Shortly after, Lt. Gov. Earle-Sears, a Republican, spoke on the steps of the capitol building to further criticize a redistricting push. The gubernatorial candidate stood at a podium with a sign on the front that read "Spanberger’s sideshow session," referring to her Democratic opponent Abigail Spanberger. However, Spanberger, a former congresswoman, has no role in the special session.
“They want to dismantle the very independent redistricting commission that Virginians voted for in a bipartisan majority just in 2019. That commission was born out of a rare moment of unity when Democrats and Republicans alike agreed that voters, imagine that, should choose their own representatives and not the other way around," said Earle-Sears.
We have sent inquiries to Democratic state lawmakers about redistricting, but haven't heard back as of this writing.
News 3's Colter Anstaett reports from Richmond that language for a constitutional amendment is expected to be introduced in the House and Senate. Then, a hearing would be held on the House floor, followed by more hearings Tuesday.
A redistricting proposal would need to pass in the House and Senate, but governor approval isn’t needed. If it passes in both chambers, Virginians would then vote on the redrawn maps.
