Originally published at: ‘Fairness Won’: Virginia Voters Just Gave Dems a Win in the National Redistricting Wars - TPM – Talking Points Memo
In yet another loss for president Trump and his floundering gerrymandering blitz, Virginia voters approved a Democratic-led redistricting measure on Tuesday that will likely give Democrats four additional congressional seats and a chance to take control of the U.S. House this year. With 97% of the vote in, the measure had passed with 51.5% approving…
“With 97% of the vote in, the measure had passed with 51.5% approving and 48.5% voting against it. Tuesday’s win … still has to face a number of hurdles as legal challenges to the proposal continue to play out in court.”
Need to keep gerrymandering since “legal challenges to the proposal continue to play out in court.” Enough of the fair-play principle of ceasing to react once somewhat fair once again. The anti-democracy Republicans started this.
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Keep in mind, who believes in representative government.
Democrats go to the ballot box, Republicans go to their owned legislature.
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Take that, Mar-a-LardAss!! Two can play this damned game!!
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All of the squealing of members of the MAGA party and various right wing propagandists over Virginia voters choosing to gerrymander congressional representation is blatantly hypocritical. At least the voters chose this.
What started the unprecedented mid decade gerrymandering was Texas. Trump told the state’s governor to further gerrymander the state to favor the MAGA party. Voters had no say. The MAGA party running the state just did it. Not a word of complaint came from the right wing propagandists. They only reacted when Democrats reciprocated with voter led initiatives in California and Virginia.
If given a choice, Democrats support ending political gerrymandering — but only if done in all states. If given a choice, the MAGA party want only states their party controls to engage in political gerrymandering.
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Congratulations, Virginia!
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Republican efforts to campaign against the measure have been shrouded in dark money.
And even darker values. Like presenting President Obama as concerned about the loss of minority districts, so vote No and support our great President.
Republican voters, your money was used to advertise that Barack Hussein Obama is a great President with his finger on the pulse of America. Thank you for your contribution to this matter.
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Peter Thiel, one of Donald Trump’s top billionaire backers, is spending millions in Virginia to push a campaign built on lies and racial division.
That’s his whole toolkit. That, and poorly understood Biblical prophesy. It is just hard to convince people that Beelzebul, the prince of demons, cares much about redrawing congressional districts.
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Great editorial in the WaPo this morning. This redistricting is a tragedy. Way back when, 2025, the Texas lege started this shit the WaPo had no problem.
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Karma sucks if you’re an asshole.
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And that is why I shitcanned WaPo.
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So I when I got to the part where Peter Thiel’s group Per Aspera Policy Inc appeared I had Google define “aspera”. Apparently “aspera” is Latin/Spanish for rough.
Maybe it’s just me but spending $9m just to lose doesn’t seem to be good business sense.
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The Republican campaign against the referendum was the most dishonest I’ve ever seen. They made little effort to win on the issues, and most of their effort on trying to confuse voters.
It worked somewhat. I’m guessing they were able to pull down the Yes vote by a couple of percent at least. It should have been 54-46, not 51-49. The local Democrats had several people who said “I voted No because Obama is against it” or because it “takes away Black majority districts.” (It doesn’t because there weren’t any.)
The Rs used out-of-context or old quotes from Obama, Spanberger, and MLK to make it appear they (at least the two living ones) were against it. They lied. They used deception. They copied the design, layout, and colors of Democratic “Yes” signs, but replaced it with “No”, just to confuse everyone.
They used scare tactics. One ad I saw repeatedly said “Vote No or the Democrats will grab your guns.”
The Republican campaign was the ugliest I’ve ever seen, and that’s saying something.
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Lets be clear in normal times Democrats are against gerrymandering. These are not normal times. Texas decided to enhance it’s already gerrymandered advantage to help Trump retain his majority. Democrats said OK we will see your enhanced gerrymandering and raise it. The asshole in the white house is having buyers remorse.
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He is now called it “rigged”! Big surprise.
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From Fearless Editor Josh’s EdBlog:
(Trump is now telling supporters he believes gerrymandering may be “not good.”)
Yup.
Said every bully in the history of bullying who had just gotten punched back.
Right before he goes crying off with “Teeeeacher! He HIT meee!”
(For “teacher,” read “SCOTUS.” Not that it’ll do him any good.)
(ETA: Is John Roberts the archetype of the vice principal? Discuss.)
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Also somewhat relevant is the impending blue wave that is independent of the gerrymandering manipulations.
When you’ve got money to burn in the interests of owning the government, you’re going to lose occasionally. That’s the beauty of money to burn. He may not have even noticed.
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Significant that only the blue states put it to a vote… and made it temporary.
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