Virginia Democrats are sparing no expense in their bid to enact an aggressive new congressional map that could sway control of the House for the final two years of Donald Trump’s presidency.
They’ve spent more than $39 million on ads asking voters to approve a proposed state constitutional amendment April 21 authorizing Democrats to draw new district lines favoring their party in up to 10 of 11 districts. The new map could produce a net gain of four seats, covering the three they need to secure a majority in the November election.
Virginia Democrats’ map campaign underscores the party’s vigorous counterattack in a line-drawing slugfest that Texas Republicans sparked last summer at Trump’s direction. Missouri, North Carolina, and Ohio also put more GOP-friendly maps in place. California successfully redrew its maps last year.
Unlike dark-blue California, Virginia is mildly Democratic, and a “yes” vote on the new district map plan isn’t guaranteed.
Trump lost Virginia by 6 percentage points in 2024 and by 10 points in 2020, when state voters by 66%-34% also adopted a constitutional amendment to establish a bipartisan redistricting commission to modify political maps. The new proposed amendment, which would allow the Democratic map to be in place through the 2030 election, requires a majority vote for passage.
“I feel optimistic, but it’s close,” said Rep.
Likely voters favored the amendment 52%-47% in a Washington Post-Schar School poll conducted March 26-31.
Even if voters approve the amendment, the Virginia Supreme Court will be the final arbiter. It allowed the referendum election to proceed as it weighs the merits of a lawsuit alleging the legislature violated its rules and state law when it advanced the amendment to voters. The court adopted the current map in December 2021 after the commission deadlocked.
High Stakes
Democrats depict their “yes” campaign as a temporary and transparent emergency response to Trump and “MAGA” allies, saying they’re empowering voters to put a check on one-party Republican rule throughout the country.
“This is a very big and important election, and what’s at stake is essentially our democracy,” said state Del. Marcus Simon (D).
Republicans say the amendment is a power grab by Richmond Democratic politicians, noting that Virginia’s House delegation of six Democrats and five Republicans reflects the divided nature of the state’s politics.
“This is just bad government and bad for the people of Virginia,” said Rep.
Griffith travels his district with a poster comparing current lines against the Democratic proposal, which includes five districts radiating from Fairfax County, a populous Democratic stronghold in northern Virginia, into rural areas that tilt strongly Republican.
GOP Reps. Rob Wittman of the eastern 1st District and John McGuire of the southern 5th District are top targets under the Democratic map. It also would imperil Republican Reps. Ben Cline of the 6th District in the Shenandoah Valley and Jen Kiggans of the southeastern 2nd District, though their districts would still be competitive.
Safe Democratic incumbents would sacrifice some partisan constituents to benefit the party elsewhere, while Democratic Rep. Eugene Vindman would get a boost after winning a swing district 51%-49% in 2024.
As of April 5, more than 677,000 Virginians cast ballots during an early-voting period that began March 6— exceeding turnout in the 2025 governor’s election at a comparable point, according to the Virginia Public Access Project.
The Stakeholders
The Democratic-led “yes” campaign is dominating the airwaves. It’s spent more than $39.1 million on advertising compared with about $4.8 million from the “no” side, according to AdImpact data as of April 6.
Virginians for Fair Elections, the leading group for the amendment, raised more than $49 million, according to reports required to disclose donations of at least $10,000 within three days. It received $29.3 million from House Majority Forward, a group aligned with House Democratic leaders; $11 million from the Fairness Project, which advocates for progressive ballot measures; and $5 million from the Fund for Policy Reform founded by billionaire George Soros. All are 501(c)(4) nonprofit advocacy organizations.
Other donors include former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), and House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar (Calif.). Virginia Democratic Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine contributed $100,000 apiece through their leadership PACs. Full campaign-finance reports are due April 13.
Top spokespeople for the “yes” campaign include Gov. Abigail Spanberger, who won by 15 points last November and approved the Democratic legislature’s map, and former President Barack Obama, who twice carried Virginia. Both urged a “yes” vote in commercials from Virginians for Fair Elections. Its other ad narrators include military veterans, a sheriff, a former US marshal, and a Richmond physician who said voting “yes” would “help prevent a national abortion ban.”
“It’s so important, especially when this ballot measure is the only thing that folks are being asked to turn out for, that we take it out of the esoteric and make it as personal as possible,” said Kelly Hall, director of the Fairness Project.
Virginians for Fair Maps, the top Republican group campaigning against the maps, raised a much lower figure of $8 million in larger donations, including $7.5 million from a nonprofit with the same name.
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) will headline an April 11 fundraiser for Virginians for Fair Maps, which is led by former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (Va.) and former Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares. Ex-Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-Va.) is campaigning against the amendment.
The “no” side includes Justice for Democracy PAC, which published mail pieces flagging Obama and Spanberger’s past comments against partisan gerrymandering. Its TV ads claim a “yes” vote would lead to “black and brown voices silenced.” Justice for Democracy PAC received at least $5 million from Per Aspera Policy Incorporated, a 501(c)(4) nonprofit.
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