Virginia Senate Democrats on Monday unveiled a congressional redistricting plan that would create a new minority influence district, setting up a potential clash with the Republican-controlled House, whose plan largely protects the state’s 11 congressmen. The plan, introduced by Sen. Mamie Locke, D-Hampton, would decrease the black voting population in Rep. Bobby Scott’s 3rd District from 53 percent to about 42 percent, and boost the black population in Republican Rep. Randy Forbes’ district from about 33 percent to 51 percent. Under the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the state must retain at least one majority-minority congressional district.
That plan differs sharply from the House plan introduced by Del. Bill Janis, R-Goochland, which would increase the black population in Scott’s district to about 56 percent. Janis’s plan cleared a House committee on Monday.
“I’m comfortable with my district in the [GOP] plan but I would prefer the Senate plan,” said Scott. “A state with 19 percent African-American population should have at least two districts where [the] African-American population can elect a candidate of their choice. That’s what I said 20 years ago. It’s the same thing.”
| Lawmakers approve state district maps |
| The Virginia General Assembly on Monday approved a plan to redraw the state’s 140 legislative districts as part of the once-a-decade redistricting process. Because of population shifts over the past 10 years, Northern Virginia stands to pick up three seats in the House of Delegates and one in the state Senate. The maps now go to the desk of Gov. Bob McDonnell, who can sign, amend or veto the legislation. |
The issue of racial dilution is particularly important in Virginia, which is one of a handful of mostly Southern states that because of past racial discrimination at the polls must get approval for its plans from the Justice Department.
Northern Virginia Reps. Gerry Connolly, a Democrat, and Frank Wolf, a Republican, would be relatively protected under the Senate plan, according to the nonpartisan Virginia Public Access Project. The Richmond area district of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., would also stretch north to include part of Prince William County under the plan.
The new map could throw a wrench into an apparent agreement among Virginia’s 11 incumbent congressmen on a proposal that would largely protect all of them, said Michael McDonald, a professor at George Mason University who is also advising Gov. Bob McDonnell’s bipartisan redistricting commission.
“Boy, that really blows up the congressional bipartisan deal,” said McDonald. “If this is an official plan coming from the Democrats in the Senate, that really changes everything.”
