Virginia Supreme Court Set To Rule On Redistricting Effort
Virginia voters approved the redistricting effort last week, giving Democrats a proposed 10-1 advantage in House seats ahead of the midterms.
Black News 
On Monday, the Virginia Supreme Court began hearing arguments in a case that could either give Democrats the advantage heading into the midterms or render Virginia’s redistricting effort moot.
According to AP, the Virginia Supreme Court is weighing whether or not state Democrats followed proper procedure in triggering the redistricting effort. As Virginia’s redistricting effort required an amendment to the state’s constitution, it had to undergo several steps before becoming a reality. The Virginia Grand Assembly was required to vote on the redistricting effort twice, before and after an election, before putting it up for a public vote. Virginia voters narrowly approved the redistricting effort last week.
Republicans have argued that state Democrats didn’t follow proper procedure, as early voting was underway, when they announced the surprise redistricting effort. Thomas McCarthy, the attorney representing Virginia Republicans, argued that “election” means the entire period during which voters are able to cast ballots. Attorney Matthew Seligman, who represents the state legislature, argues that “election” means the Tuesday of the general election.
So far, most of the legal challenges to Virginia’s redistricting effort have failed. While Tazewell County Circuit Judge Jack Hurley Jr. has repeatedly ruled to shut down the redistricting effort, nearly all of those rulings have been successfully appealed. Hurley ruled last week that the votes counted in the referendum were “ineffective” and blocked certification of the vote.
The Hill reports that on Sunday, Richmond Circuit Court Judge Tracy Thorne-Begland denied a request by the Republican National Committee to toss out the results of the referendum over, I kid you not, the shape of the districts.
Boy, the GOP is really reaching.
Should the Virginia Supreme Court rule in favor of the Democrats, the new map will effectively give Virginia Democrats a 10-1 advantage in House seats ahead of this fall’s midterms. As it stands, the nationwide redistricting battle spurred by President Donald Trump has turned out to be incredibly embarrassing for the GOP.
The redistricting war began last summer, when Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered a rare mid-decade redistricting push at the behest of Trump. The long, fraught process resulted in a map that gives Republicans four to five extra House seats in the state. California was quick to counterpunch, triggering a special election in which voters approved a map that directly cancels out the gains made by the Texas map.
North Carolina and Missouri’s Republican-led state legislatures held redistricting efforts of their own, netting an additional House seat in each state, but Virginia’s redistricting effort has proved to be the most consequential so far.
Florida is currently in the midst of a special session focusing on redistricting, but state Republicans seem to have mixed feelings about seeing it through. At the state and city levels, Democrats have won several notable elections in Florida over the last year, including a state Democratic victory in the district where Trump’s Mar-a-Lago is located. There’s concern from Florida Republicans that a redistricting effort, at the behest of a deeply unpopular president, no less, could stretch Republican voters thin and make incumbents vulnerable.
Anything can happen, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Florida winds up following Indiana’s lead and refusing to implement a redistricting effort.
SEE ALSO:
Virginia Voters Narrowly Pass Redistricting Referendum
Republican Pressure Grows For Florida To Undergo Redistricting Effort
