Earle-Sears and Spanberger Must Publicly Reject This Return to Reckless Partisan Political Gerrymandering
RICHMOND, VA – Senate Republican Leader Ryan McDougle and Senator Mark Obenshain today called on Lt. Governor Winsome Earle-Sears and Democratic gubernatorial nominee Abigail Spanberger to reject Democrats’ reckless partisan political gerrymandering plan to repeal Virginia’s bipartisan redistricting system — and to oppose any effort that would return Virginia to a partisan, politician-controlled redistricting process.
“Democrats see the political tide turning against them and now they’re trying to rewrite the rules before voters even finish casting their ballots,” said Leader McDougle. “Calling a special session to undo Virginia’s bipartisan redistricting Constitutional amendment is not about fairness or good government, it’s about power.”
Senator Obenshain noted that the 2020 constitutional amendment creating Virginia’s bipartisan Redistricting Commission was a promise to voters — one both parties made together.
“Democrats and Republicans stood side by side and asked Virginians to adopt a bipartisan redistricting process with a Supreme Court backstop,” Obenshain said. “Voters overwhelmingly approved it. To tear it up after one use, just because Democrats didn’t like the outcome, is a breathtaking act of cynicism. It’s an attack on the voters’ trust.”
BACKGROUND
In 2020, Virginians voted by a two-to-one margin to approve a constitutional amendment creating a bipartisan Redistricting Commission. At the time, leading Democrats called it historic reform:
Sen. Mamie Locke: “Virginians have told us, loud and clear, they want voters to choose their legislators, not the other way around.”
Sen. Louise Lucas: “This package fully encompasses the kind of reform Virginians have wanted for a long time: an equitable, transparent and bipartisan process.”
Sen. Tim Kaine: “They should keep going down the road to do the nonpartisan redistricting.”
Rep. Don Beyer: “Gerrymandering is cheating… It may not be perfect, but the flaws are fixable.”
Now, those same Democrats are proposing to repeal the reform they once championed — calling a special session to push a new amendment that would hand redistricting power back to partisan politicians.
“This is a test of leadership,” said McDougle. “Lt. Governor Earle-Sears and Congresswoman Spanberger should publicly reject this return to Reckless Partisan Political Gerrymandering . No special election. No repeal. No return to partisan redistricting,” he concluded.
Virginians deserve fair maps drawn in the open — not backroom deals designed to protect politicians.
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