Spanberger says she has ‘no plans’ to do redistricting in Virginia if elected

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger said she has no intention of undertaking a redistricting effort in Virginia if she’s elected governor in November.

“Short answer is no,” Spanberger said about the prospects of redistricting, local outlet 7News reported.

“Virginia by constitutional amendment has a new redistricting effort that was put in place and first utilized in the 2021 redistricting,” she continued.

“I’ve been watching with interest what other states are doing, but I have no plans to redistrict Virginia.”

Spanberger’s campaign confirmed the statement to The Hill.

In Virginia, the governor has little power over the redistricting process.

Voters in 2020 approved a constitutional amendment giving redistricting authority to a bipartisan commission, with the goal of increasing transparency and reducing partisan gerrymandering. A constitutional amendment would be necessary to make any further changes to the process.

States have varying rules governing their redistricting process, which typically takes place at the start of the decade after the census is conducted.

But Texas Republicans, at the encouragement of President Trump, have redrawn their congressional maps to give Republicans five more pickup opportunities ahead of the 2026 midterm election cycle.

In the Lone Star State, approval by the GOP-controlled Legislature and the governor will be enough to make the maps official.

California Democrats have responded with their own redistricting effort, which, if successful, would give Democrats five more pickup opportunities ahead of 2026. Unlike Texas, California requires voters to weigh in directly on the redistricting question, prompting Democrats to race against the clock to set up a special election in November.

State lawmakers last week formally approved parts of the Election Rigging Response Act legislative package, which includes a proposed constitutional amendment and two separate bills that lay out the logistics for the special election and map proposal.

Party leaders in other states have begun exploring redistricting opportunities elsewhere.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) signaled he is actively looking into redistricting options in his state, saying in an interview on CBS News’s “Face the Nation” on Sunday, “When I say all options are on the table, all options are on the table.”

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) left the door open to more Democratic redistricting efforts in a Sunday interview on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

“California responded forcefully … and we will continue to respond, when necessary, across the country,” Jeffries said. “Right now, this has happened in Texas. California has responded. Let’s see what comes next.”

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