Following yesterday’s atrocious Supreme Court ruling that “red” Texas’ extreme, mid-decade gerrymander is a-ok with them (despite lower court rulings that it definitely was NOT a-ok), Virginia General Assembly Democratic leaders reacted with comments like “full steam ahead” with Virginia’s own possible redistricting push, with some top Democrats talking about going from the current 6 Democrats – 5 Republicans U.S. House map to a 9D-2R (which would leave Rep. Ben Cline in western Virginia and Rep. Morgan Griffith in SW Virginia as the only Republicans in Virginia’s U.S. House delegation – bye bye Reps. Rob Wittman, Jen Kiggans and John McGuire) or even a 10D-1R map (which would leave Rep. Morgan Griffith in SW Virginia as the only Republican in Virginia’s U.S. House delegation – bye bye Reps. Rob Wittman, Jen Kiggans, John McGuire and even Ben Cline!).
As Virginia Speaker Don Scott said on Wednesday at UVA:
the only reason Democrats are doing this is because of Donald Trump trying to rig the electoral maps in Republicans’ favor. “We have a bully, and he has a bully pulpit, and he’s bullying folks in these states” – including “punch[ing] back” (we have an “obligation” to do so). Speaker Scott said a 10-1 map is “not out of the realm…but we’re going to take a look at it.” “We have to push back.” “Ultimately, the voters will decide.” “We cannot allow folks to rig the system.” “Maybe two [House Republicans from Virginia] will survive.”
With that, see below for a few reactions (I’ll add more as I see them) to the Roberts/far-right Supreme Court’s ruling…and stay tuned, as the action really gets going when the General Assembly convenes on the second Wednesday in January).
P.S. For more background on Virginia Democrats’ redistricting push, see Video: VA Senate Democrats Unanimously Vote to Pass Redistricting Amendment – “a break-glass maneuver for a truly unpredecented moment” as Trump Tries to “rig the entire national election”; Virginia General Assembly Meets for Possible New Redistricting Amendment, etc.
P.P.S. It should go without saying that any Virginia Republican who fails to express their opposition to what Texas is doing, as well as to this SCOTUS decision allowing Texas to do it, has ZERO standing to say anything about Virginia Dems fighting back. Ignore them, laugh at them, tell them to STFU, etc. Because they are 100% not arguing in good faith, just completely full of crap.
