Winsome Sears blasts Virginia Dems’ surprise redistricting session as a ‘stunt’ to get her off track
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Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsom Earle-Sears criticized Virginia Democrats after they hinted at a plan to suddenly recall the legislature in a last-minute special session to address possible redistricting before the election.
Virginia’s state redistricting commission is legally charged with drawing new congressional maps after each decennial census, but state Democrats are poised to try to get around that process, possibly through the constitutional amendment process.
“In a desperate political stunt, the Democrats Virginia General Assembly Lt. Gov. Winsom is calling for a special session to pull Earl-Sears out of the campaign,” the Earl-Sears campaign said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
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As lieutenant governor, Earle-Sears is the presiding officer of the otherwise Democratic-majority state Senate.
“The same politicians who marched in protest of No Kings are now trying to crown themselves the rulers of Virginia politics, abusing their offices to manipulate the calendar because they can’t win ideas,” the campaign said.
Peyton Vogel, a spokesman for Earle-Sears, said the activity “looks scary” for a party that lacks new ideas and relies on such “stunts” and suggested a Democratic challenger. Abigail Spanberger – Former Congresswoman – was somehow involved in the scheme.
“(S)he’s accusing Winsome Earle-Sears of a cheap political stunt to slow her down. It’s pathetic. Voters see that. They know Winsome Earle-Sears is a Marine, a mother and a daily fighter for Virginia — while Abigail Spanberger is using a career power and trial power style to protect her. Friends,” Vogel said.
Earle-Sears breaks out into heated debate as Spanberger dodges Jay Jones’ questions
That’s according to a Suffolk University survey released Thursday Behind Earle-Sears Spanberger By about eight percentage points, her downballot-mates John Reid and Jason Miares were either tied or well ahead of their Democratic opponents.
Democrats are hoping to extend their two-seat majority in the House of Delegates, targeting several districts in Hampton Roads and the suburbs of Washington, DC, where Republicans sit on a statistical knife edge. No state Senate seats until 2027. The upper house also has a two-seat Democratic majority.
House Speaker Don Scott Jr., D-Portsmouth, and Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, D-Mount Vernon, did not respond to requests for comment. However, Surovell told The New York Times that he plans to reconvene the Legislature next week in Richmond to counter President Donald Trump’s push to push Republican-led states to redistrict.
Those states, like Texas, see their efforts as a potentially-successful shoehorning in of a mid-decade redistricting plan by Sacramento, California Democrats.
“We’re coming back to address the Trump administration’s actions,” Surovell told the Times.
At the federal level, Democrats hold six of 11 Home space in Virginia. Some Republican-held seats are considered “swing” seats that move back and forth regularly — such as Reps. in Cape Charles and Hampton Roads. Jennifer Keegans.
Loudoun County — once reliably Republican — has trended left over the past decade, and there are no longer any Republican members of Congress within about 50 miles of Washington.
Rep. Yevgeny “Eugene” Vindman, D-Va., the twin brother of Alexander Vindman, has a one-time swing district in Prince William County and D.C. exurbs that has been a long-term loss for the GOP.
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Virginia State Capitol in Richmond. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
In contrast, Rep. Morgan Griffith’s, R-Va., district in the southwestern tip of Virginia is overwhelmingly Republican. Adjacent Rep. So is the way Ben Cline’s district is drawn — hugging Interstate 81 and the Blue Ridge Mountains.
But Cline’s district could be targeted by Democrats’ redraw — because the thin district and slicing off the top of Republican John McGuire’s limits and adding chunks to the increasingly blue center of the state could create several new seats designed to favor Democrats.
Playing with the shapes of other districts like the Windmans along I-95 and Republican Rob Wittman in the Northern Neck could also pay off for Democrats.
Democrats spearheaded the original constitutional amendment in 2020 that birthed the commission they now want to avoid, as it was introduced by then-Sen. George Barker of Fairfax. Few Republicans were listed as co-signatories for the resolution.
About two-thirds of Virginia voters later approved the amendment, according to reports.
If they go the constitutional amendment route, the passage before the November election would count as one session, so Democrats — betting on keeping or increasing their numbers in the Legislature — would have to pass it again before making the ballot after passage in the 2026 session.
Whether Earl-Sears or Spanberger won, the Governors are constitutionally barred from interfering with the process.
By contrast, working through the regular legislative process, would allow the Governor to intervene; With outgoing Youngkin decided to veto Their initial attempt.
Leading 2022 gubernatorial nominees for Pennsylvania Republicans Doug Mastriano A similar process was reported to prevent then-Gov. End Tom Wolfe and his massive coronavirus lockdown order, so the process has had a recent success.
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The Virginia amendment would likely not create a new map, but would instead authorize a new process to initiate redistricting outside the current system, including a decennial commission.
Fox News Digital reached out to Spanberger for comment on Earle-Sears’ claim.
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