On Tuesday, Virginia voters approved a constitutional amendment that will allow Democrats to draw new maps, handing them control of 10 of 11 U.S. House seats in a state that Kamala Harris won by just five points in 2024. The result should be a shock to the senses for Republicans nationwide that it’s time to get serious about redistricting – starting with a push in Florida next week.
What Americans witnessed over the past three months in Virginia was one of the most corrupt, dishonest – and well-funded – campaigns in American history. As I detailed back in March, Democrats appear to have blatantly violated the plain language of the Virginia Constitution multiple times in advancing the amendment in the first place. (Multiple court cases challenging that process are still ongoing, but it seems unlikely that the state supreme court will now effectively overturn the election results by ruling the amendment invalid.)
Democrats also intentionally and egregiously deceived voters – from the talking points they used to sell the gerrymandering amendment to the ballot language itself. The Princeton Gerrymandering project gives Virginia’s current congressional map an “A” as one of the fairest in the country, while the proposed new map will be statistically the most gerrymandered and unfair map in the nation.
Yet Democrats outrageously wrote a ballot question stating that a “yes” vote was to “restore fairness.” In reality, a “yes” vote takes Virginia’s already fair map and destroys it to create an unfair map. We will never know how many voters were confused by this intentionally misleading language.
Regardless, Virginia, a state that has leaned Democrat in recent years but remained a battleground state, will now have a more lopsided Democrat map than California, Illinois, or New York. A state where Republicans consistently win 45-48 percent of the vote will have just one Republican member of Congress.
There are undoubtedly plenty of lessons for Republicans to draw from this defeat. The “no” campaign opposing gerrymandering was massively outspent, with as much as $70 million pouring in to support the “yes” campaign – mostly from national Democrats and Dark Money groups. The “no” campaign, meanwhile, was largely funded at the grassroots level – a spirited and admirable effort, but one that will always struggle to compete against deep-pocketed liberal elites.
But while a post-mortem of this specific election is perhaps in order, Republicans’ biggest takeaway should be that Democrats are willing to be as ruthless as necessary – even violate the law – in pursuit of power. Republicans’ only option is to respond with similar determination.
Democrats will cry that “Republicans started it” with Texas’s mid-decade redistricting effort. But this line conveniently places the starting point for the “redistricting wars” in July 2025. That narrative ignores New York’s mid-decade redistricting effort in 2024, and decades of egregious Democrat gerrymanders in states like California, Illinois, and New York.
As Vice President JD Vance pointed out on X, New England’s six states – with a total of 21 U.S. House seats – consistently vote about 40 percent Republican but send zero Republicans to Congress. Within this context, Texas’s redraw was actually a relatively mild response that only partially offset rampant unfair maps in Democrat states.
In light of Virginia’s new maps that will almost certainly send four more Democrats to Congress, Republicans should immediately begin pursuing aggressive redistricting efforts everywhere they can – starting with Florida. Governor Ron DeSantis has called on legislators to hold a special session to add as many as five new GOP seats.
Republicans must also avoid fiascos like the one that unfolded in Indiana earlier this year, when a handful of Republicans in the state legislature blocked an effort led by their own party to draw out two Democrat members. That shameful episode could be the difference in who wins control of the House come November. Indiana notably votes far more Republican than Virginia does Democrat.
Republicans were undoubtedly dealt a serious setback on Tuesday, but the battle is far from over. What matters now is that the GOP steels its resolve to fight fire with fire – or else be gerrymandered into a permanent minority.
Shane Harris is the Editor-in-Chief of AMAC Newsline. You can follow him on X @shaneharris513.
We should have started playing hardball about 3 decades ago.
Virginia is now officially a blue state. Citizens there can expect the intensification of sanctuary policies, communist agendas and attacks on our Constitution. Hope you VA voters are happy, you deserve what you’re gonna get.
This was a $100 MILLION dollar lie which only passed by 2%. What happened was blatant lying that Republicans decided NOT to fight with TV ads??? And Republican voters who apparently did NOT show up to the polls. I would hope that the courts will invalidate this. COME ON PEOPLE, GET OFF your butts or we are going to lose this country!
The democrats are dictators taking over this country by any means possible. The evil they are spreading through lies coercion and mind control is astonishing. And even after many exposures of such happenings no one on the left stands up. Just another example of how deep their hold is on the people. Soros et al have used their money well. The democrats are even against tax cuts for the poor and middle class. They are against legal elections. Against law and order. Against a moral country. And forget about justice in the courts. They will decide who is guilty and what punishment should be done. We are a country crumbling.
The article states correctly that the way the question was worded was very misleading. I couldn’t believe that there wasn’t some correction of the wording before it went to the public for the vote. I don’t truly think this is what the populace wants but instead a manipulation of facts to meet the Democrat’s agenda.
The author is correct about one thing, gerrymandering has been going on for almost as long as our country has existed.
The more relevant questions are what triggered the current gerrymandering arms race and which party will feel the most pain six months from now ?
Even if republicans grow a pair and start adopting the liberal hardball approach, liberal judges will step in the way, just like they always have.
Having Republicans grow a set is laughable. The republicans bring a stick to a knife fight! I am quite confident that the current house and senate are clueless about how ruthless the dems are, they are out to destroy anyone that believes in MAGA and America first. I am beginning to think the republicans want to lose in November. Could it be they hate Trump that much… just an observation. I hope I am wrong.
If Americans CANNOT enjoy Constitutional protections at the ballot box, ensuring representation, then the Second Amendment must be used to reclaim and ensure their rights.
Yep pretty disgusting when some rhinos just go along with demonrats whether it’s legal or illegal,they all have their agenda. Sooner or later most of the east coast will be totally blue if the republicans keep allowing demonrats to cheat! We are doomed.
Anyone whose looks at the Virginia map and says ” it’s fair and balanced” has s— for brains.
Where were the Christians who love God. Do you realize that at the National Faith Advisory Board thousands of pastors prayed over Trump for the presidency?Jonathan Cahn prophesied over him at the same convention. As for him being a King, do you realize he ended 8 wars. He has prevented Iran from sending nuclear bombs to destroy the US as you know they call us the Great Satan? They were ready to destroy us. Where are the Christians. This country was created by Christians Wake up!
Republicans never play hardball they’re too cowardly.
They used the same tactics that California used. Democraps are good at deceiving people and taking/ keeping power. It amazes me that Republicans can’t learn the lesson. Sick of hearing Republicans say they can’t stoop to the Democraps level, however, if they don’t there won’t be any of them left to do anything anyway.
SAVE Act NOW! Or Thune OUT!
Where I voted in Virginia Beach, a lot of people not only said no, but hell no.
DISGUSTING, LYING, MARXIST DEMONRATS!!!!
It is time for the Republicans to get off their high horses and join the donkey’s fire for fire. Now, eliminate the filibuster and get the rest of Pres. trump’s agenda passed and all the judges waiting over a year to get approved. we all know that if the demrats win the congress in this election, this country is doomed. They outwardly promise to stack the supreme court, add DC and Puerto Rico as states to gainn4 new socialist senators. It is now or never.
Virginia used to be a nice place.
There will be “weeping and gnashing of teeth”.
So, what you are saying is the money makes the difference. People are too illiterate to read, research and think for themselves. Whom ever has the most cash, promotes their views the loudest, gets the green light. What kind of justice is that? Where are the judges that are to keep things fair and honest?
Virginia voters have fallen for a line of bull since their current governor lied her way through her campaign as a “moderate” when she is an uber leftist. Apparently the VA voters have little knowledge of much and do what these politicians tell them to do. Were I a Virginian, I’d be looking at impeachment of a lying, hypocritical, untrustworthy woman who unfortunately is now governor. Hope they are happy with their choice! As for Republican hardball — Republicans should have been playing hardball since the Dems fabricated impeachment against President Trump in his first term– twice, when they revealed their pernicious quest for power and their means to an end governance. Democrats have gone on to prove their power-crazed activities, from phony accusations to law fare, to using government agencies as weapon against citizens to allowing illegals to do, go and live anywhere in the country without any vetting, to their support for pro-Hamas/anti-Israel devils to now pushing Kamal Harris into the 2028 run for president yet again..
The United States of America is facing a tipping point come the mid-term elections this November. I know that it has been said that each election is the most important one in the history of the country. Sometimes it may have seemed that way but only to have had only marginal impact of the direction of the country which in some respects were corrected in subsequent elections. In light of the election of a communist to the mayoral seat in New York to the recent election in Virginia in which the Governor campaigned on being a reasonable Democrat and when elected pulled off a bait and switch which now made Virginia one of the most socialist states in the country.
The Virginia governor who campaigned in a way that she did not seem to be a threat to freedom for Virginians and then did an about face reminds me of how Fidel Castro took over Cuba. His fight was against a dictator Batista and many thought that he would bring freedom to his country even with some support from the United States. Our government was fooled for on the very day he took over the Cuban government he declared himself to be a communist and immediately gained the support of the Soviet Government. It was the consummate bait and switch that has kept Cuba stuck with a government that has no respect for liberty and freedom. Democrats have been campaigning in this manner for decades. We are now seeing their efforts coming to fruition. Can it be stopped? I don’t know. Republicans are weak-kneed and thus always bring a knife to a gun fight. We need to make sure as primary elections take place across the country, we choose candidates who are willing to take on socialist democrats right where they are. If that means they should redistrict every state they control and use the Virginia model and wipe out every democrat seat that they can. This may be harsh, but it may be the only way to save our country from those who are licking their chops toward having a permanent majority in our government
Where can I move to escape the hell that is befalling my beloved state?
GOP needs to pass the SAVE America Act (hello, John Thune?), Indiana (REVISIT!) and other red states need to redistirct to favor more GOP seats. The LAST thing we need is for the Communists back in power in Congress, which will certainly result in another impeachment of President Trump and a lot of nonsense leading up to 2028.
Another problem in VA: VA GOP has been weak over the last couple of decades, with leaders like VA Sen. John Chichester and former US Sen. John Warner endorsing Mark Warner in US Senate races. With the GOP winning a large majority of counties in the state each election cycle, the VA GOP needs to do a better job.
Full disclosure: I’m a refugee from Gubnah Abby-NORMAL-Gail Soamburger’s Communist-wealth of Virginia-fornia-Stan. This move disenfranchises the citizens of the Commonwealth and will do so for many years. Time to break up the Commonwealth of VA!
I am hoping the speed at which the Virginia governor changed her stripes and the consequences of her policies hit the Virginia voters right between their eyes and get them out to vote in November. I plan to vote and to encourage everyone in my reach to do the same.
It is beginning to look as if the many of the people who call themselves Republicans are actually not. Why didn’t they fight to win this issue! Every Republican in VA should have been at the polls voting or mailing in their ballot. It is discouraging to see how many people are actually on the side of the evil radical liberals. I keep praying for God to help our country remain free and brave but ALL of you Conservatives out there MUST go vote!!! Who is head of the Republican party???? Did Trump do anything to help win this battle? What did they do to try to win this election??? If enough of the Conservatives vote, we CAN win just like we did in 2024.
I am 80 yrs. old and a lifetime resident of Virginia. I can never recall another constitutional amendment that contained language telling one what way to vote, such as rendering an opinion such as “fair”. It has truly been an Orwellian experience.
I live in southwest Virginia; there is a lot of serious talk for succession to West Virginia or Tennessee, or possibly both. This new governor wants to tax Virginians to support her far left policies and restrict our second amendment rights!
How much Communism must we suffer with. Christians, where are you. What are you doing and when will you wake up to the fact that the Democratic Party left you 50 years ago! The Democratic Party Platform left God completely out. They do not care that the US was Created by Christians and most of the Signers were Christians and not theists has the historians are lying.
In order to successfully overcome the numerical advantage one political party has over another, to positively persuade many from that enormous congregation to switch their support to the other side, the lesser populated side must concentrate their energies, resources and focus on issues which matter to most American Citizens, and not constantly dwell on disparagement of personalities and the groups they groups they attract. Look at the money-wasters with never-ending financial requirements and no permanent solutions (because it would stop or interfere with the convenient flow of money) such as homelessness, lack of mental health facilities for those mentally, socially impaired, western states’ drought remedy misapplications, useless high speed trains funded but not built, “climate change” and “settled science” bs, imposition of more and more off-putting regulations from a class of people drawn to “public service” who never held a regullar job, anywhere. Focus on issues, then deliver when elected.
The vote passed by less than 2%, 50.5 to 49%. Virginia is a 50/50 state, so how is a 10-1 representative in the house FAIR? It isn’t, and this should be moved into the court system for this and how the ballot issue was written. This totally discriminates against republicans in the state and that alone should be a civil rights issue. Gerrymandering is a deceitful process that needs to be outlawed, and representatives need to be equivalent to the cross section of voters in the state!
CW III is getting closer, every day
Unfortunately, I live in Virginia and have always been well represented in the northwestern rural part of Virginia but now the swamp morons will tell us how to farm, remove as many gun friendly laws they can get away with because they will never have a bear, coyote, copperhead or feral hog go after their livelihood. I honestly wonder how democrats can think that 5 republican sectors to 6 democratic sectors is not fair now it will be 10 to 1
Not all Virginian’s deserve what is happening to them, but, if the true Patriot’s want to change things back, they must learn to vet their candidates, research them, deep dive their backgrounds, listen to their “stumping” speeches, write them, call them. WE NEED TO GET OFF OUR LAZY BUTT’S AND KNOW WHO WE ARE VOTING FOR, TO REPRESENT US.
So 49% of Virginians may be represented by 9% of its Congressional delegation.
Now who is the real “threat to democracy”?
Despite endless claims to the contrary by Democrats and their media whores, the Democrats have not had majority popular or voter support since the 1960s. And that support has been gradually decreasing ever since then. In fact, there have been numerous polls by Leftist polling organizations in recent months putting the level of Democrat support among the general population at less than 30%. So, one must wonder, how do the Democrats ‘win’ so many elections? And why do the Democrats seem so confident of taking back one or even both Houses of Congress? Very simple: they cheat. The Democrats have been engaging in voter registration and election fraud since the 1850s – yes, you read that right and it is in the history books (REAL history books, not Leftist revisionist history books like those written by lifelong Communist Howard Zinn). The Democrats have been devising endless numbers of new systems and strategies to lie, cheat, and steal elections for decades. Why do you think they opened the borders and encouraged untold millions of Third World refuse to invade the country? Why do you think they fight tooth and nail against the implementation of any and every possible election security and integrity measures? The Democrats know that they must cheat in order to ‘win,’ and the feckless Republicans are doing precious little to stop them. We are in so much trouble…
BUT will GOP Play?
MAGA will NOT RNC Estd.
We lose
My question to all leaders and judges is “why is this blatant unconstitutional practice being allowed? Why are those who have the power to stop this treasonous behavior by elected officials not doing so. Enough is enough and we the people have taken notice… Do the right thing.
Well, will the Repub’s set on their derrieres, and let them get away with it. We need to get someone like TOM FITTON, to go after these COMMUNISTS. We need to get away from the term Democrats and call them what they are, COMMUNIST. The true Dem’s do not deserve being lumped in with these unpatriotic JERKS.
I this was a state in which 45-48% of the voters were non-white yet there was only one non-white majority house district you can bet the Leftists would be howling and the courts would be backing them.
republicans need to stop letting democrats walk all over them. They need to start taking pages from the democrat party’s playbook and start acting exactly like them.
Let’s see, the socialist/democrats wanted to redraw the map for house seats in Virginia that would favor them right before a national mid term election and some people don’t see the correlation? Got it!
Stolen elections We need to address and stop it You know the 65000 mail in that arrived at the end of the day ALL in favor,
But do the republicans ever do anything?!
Time to REALLY say no this vote was illegal and writ with fraud and NOT accept it!
CUT off all money and business with the state They want communism and criminals running the state we refuse to support it.
Democrats can’t be honest about anything.They don’t know what it means to be fair and or honest.They know how to lie,cheat and steal though.This is what happens to people that don’t believe in God.
Thanks for ending on a hopeful note. The movie called “Amazing Grace” shows how the good guys had to learn wisdom from the fox and with immense effort and patience finally won the country over and ended slavery in England. With God’s help, perhaps we can also win back America. I pray and hope so!
GOP has a rino and a backbone problem, they don’t know what hardball is, and when they get someone who does know how they don’t support him for long term. They just fold like a cheap suit. JMO
Sorry but your writing is just plain wrong…. “decades of egregious gerrymanders in states like California.” First off, California has had a voter approved independent redistricting commission since 2008 and prior to that California was a purple state with governors such as Reagan, Wilson, Deukmejian, Knight, and Warren. Stop misleading readers.
Why would the Republicans need this as a reason to play hardball? That’s something they should have been doing long before now. They always act like they want to lose the midterms. Then after they lose they start giving the Democrats absolutely everything they want and holler that there’s nothing that they can do because they don’t have control of the Houses. Don’t take my word for it, just go look at the past elections. The Democrats are Lunatics and the Republicans have got to be Braindead. You finally have a President that is for the good of the Country and it’s Citizens but No Congress or Senate to back him up.
Republicans should NOT start redistricting as retaliation. I don’t support either party playing these games.