Obama Joins Push For New Congressional Maps In Virginia

The Democratic effort to redraw Virginia’s congressional districts just gained a high-profile supporter: former President Barack Obama.

Obama is backing a proposed Virginia constitutional amendment that could net Democrats up to four seats in the coming midterm elections.

“We can’t afford two more years of unchecked power and zero accountability in Washington,” he said in a video released on X on Thursday. “Help us chart a better path forward.”

Virginia’s effort to change its congressional map is just the latest in a partisan mid-decade redistricting process that started last summer, when Texas Republicans, under pressure from President Donald Trump, approved a gerrymander that appears primed to help the party flip five more seats in the midterms.

Democrats responded first in California. Additional fights over redistricting — some successful — have followed in red and blue states, including Missouri, Indiana and Maryland. Republicans in Florida, too, are gearing up for a redistricting push in April.

“Over the past year, several Republican controlled states have taken the unprecedented step of redrawing their congressional maps in the middle of the decade,” Obama said. “They’ve done it for a simple reason. To give themselves an unfair advantage in the midterms this fall. In April, Virginians can respond by making sure your voting power is not diminished by what Republicans are doing in other states.”

On Wednesday night, the state Supreme Court froze a lower court ruling that would have prevented early voting from starting on the ballot measure. The case, which was brought by Republicans seeking to stop the referendum, argued Democrats' efforts violated the state constitution. The state Supreme Court did not rule on the merits of the case. Early voting on the map will begin Friday.

After the high court’s ruling, Gov. Abigail Spanberger on Thursday said she was in favor of the amendment, due to “a president who says that he’s ‘entitled’ to more Republican seats before this year’s midterms.”

“At this extraordinary moment, I urge all Virginians to join me in voting yes,” she said in a video on social media.