RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia’s new congressional redistricting proposal would dramatically reshape the state’s political landscape, creating what CBS 6 political analyst Dr. Bob Holsworth describes as a “10–1 map.” That is 10 of Virginia's U.S. House of Representative seats likely to be held by Democrats and just one by Republicans.
“What basically has happened is that the Democrats, in order to get to a situation where they can really have what they call a 10–1 map, they've had to redraw everything,” Holsworth said. “The Democrats have sort of moved everything around, and in particular what they did is they've put five districts sort of centered in [heavily Democratic] Northern Virginia and then they snake out everywhere.”
The plan also links Democratic-leaning college towns within certain districts. The proposed District 6 exemplifies this, touching mostly rural Virginia but connecting multiple [typically Democratic leaning] college communities across the Commonwealth.
Holsworth contrasted the changes with the state’s current congressional map, which he called “fairly well defined” and compact geographically.
"District 1 goes from the Northern Neck into Henrico and Chesterfield. But by and large, these are understandable lines," he said.
The Democrats' proposed maps could have has political consequences for new Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger, Holsworth said.
“Her brand was of a nonpartisan person, almost an independent who could look at the Democrats and say what’s wrong with them as well,” Holsworth said. “What she’s done here is kind of almost wash her hands of it, is to basically say, well, if the legislature gives it to me, I’ll probably let it go.”
Watch: Spanberger won't block 10-1 redistricting plan
Virginia Democrats announced last week that they had reached an agreement within their party to redraw the state’s congressional boundaries ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, even as a court battle over the process continues.
Democrats say the effort is a response to Republican-led redistricting in other states during the Trump administration.
A mid-decade redrawing of Virginia's congressional map would need approval by Virginia voters.
Virginia Republicans criticized the plan, saying it violates the will of voters who approved a bipartisan redistricting commission in 2020.
They've filed a lawsuit over the redistricting process and a Tazewell Circuit Court judge ruled the Democratic plan illegal. Democrats have appealed to the Supreme Court of Virginia.
The Supreme Court of Virginia, generally seen as conservative-leaning, must decide whether a lower court erred in denying Democrats the chance to redraw the maps.
The outcome could influence national politics over the next two years during the final half of Donald Trump’s presidency.
"What the Democrats did was hardball politics, smash mouth politics," Holsworth said. "They think they can win if this gets to a referendum because largely they're going to make it one more referendum on Donald Trump, not necessarily on the fairness of the maps, but on responding to Donald Trump.
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