Virginia Democrats on Thursday night time vowed to axe 4 Republicans from the state’s U.S. Home delegation, a direct response to the Supreme Court docket ruling that very same night that Texas’ excessive Republican gerrymander is authorized.
“I got something waiting for Texas…” Virginia state Senate President Louise Lucas wrote in a put up on X Thursday night time in response to the Supreme Court docket’s resolution permitting Texas’ congressional map that ousts as many as 5 Democrats from the state’s delegation for use within the 2026 midterms.
SCOTUS on Thursday night time reversed a decrease courtroom ruling that had mentioned Texas’ new map was an unlawful racial gerrymander. The 6-3 conservative courtroom majority as an alternative mentioned that Texas’ map was a authorized partisan gerrymander, and blessed the state to implement the brand new district strains for the November elections.
“REDistricting” by Tim Campbell
“We didn’t want to have to consider drawing a 10D-1R map. We didn’t want to have to do this. But where I grew up, if a bully came and punched you in the mouth, you better punch back. That’s what this is about,” Scott wrote.
The Virginia redistricting effort is sort of an identical to the one California pulled off earlier this yr. Like in California, Virginia voters will determine in a poll referendum whether or not to droop the state’s impartial redistricting fee and permit the Democratic-controlled Legislature to redraw the congressional maps.
If Virginia Democrats are profitable, they might deliver the gerrymandering warfare President Donald Trump began to a draw.
In fact, different wild playing cards stay.
Associated | One more purple state weighs passing an excessive gerrymander
Indiana Republicans are at present debating a brand new map that may erase Democratic illustration of their congressional delegation—although a contingent of Republicans within the Indiana Senate will not be onboard with the hassle and questions stay if the brand new gerrymander will go.
Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis has additionally mentioned that Florida will redraw its maps to erase Democratic-held districts.
“Keep in mind that even with the TX map upheld by SCOTUS, Republicans [are] still on track for a very minimal overall gain from redistricting, with FL/IN/LA/VA the biggest remaining question marks,” election analyst Dave Wasserman wrote in a put up on X.
Nevertheless, it doesn’t matter what occurs, Republicans are nonetheless in serious trouble within the 2026 midterms.
Republicans severely underperformed in a high-turnout particular election in Tennessee on Tuesday, elevating questions on whether or not Republicans in additional aggressive seats might survive the blue wave that’s forming.
“Tonight is a sign that 2026 is going to be a bitch of an election cycle,” an unnamed Home Republican instructed Politico after the Tennessee particular. “Republicans can survive if we play team and the Trump administration officials play smart. Neither is certain.”
