Democrats are struggling to respond to a major redistricting setback in Virginia, with some party leaders discussing an audacious and possibly far-fetched idea for trying to restore a congressional map voided by the court but showing little indication they have a clear plan.
During a private discussion on Saturday that included Democratic House members from Virginia and Representative Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the minority leader, the lawmakers vented anger at their defeat at the Virginia Supreme Court, spoke about a collective determination to flip two or three Republican-held seats under the existing map and discussed a bank-shot proposal to redraw the congressional lines anyway, according to three people who participated in the call and two others who were briefed on it.
Honestly them even responding with desperation and talking about breaking norms is better than I expected. I thought behind closed doors they’d just be saying “oh well, we’ll get 'em next time”.
They might have to do something truly desperate and try candidates who appeal to the gross icky voters.
It should have never come to this. It’s been apparent for at least a generation that Republicans would do anything, including burn the country to the ground to remain in power.
Instead of responding with the same intensity we watched Obama try to compromise again and again while the Republicans kept moving the goal post further to the right, even after there had been an agreement. Our country had accurate, fair elections for hundreds of years but suddenly there’s election fraud but only when the GQP candidate loses. If they win that the results are fair and accurate. The democrats in Congress continue to try to deal reasonably with people who literally supported an armed insurrection and then pardoned those who attacked police officers and smeared the Capital halls with feces.
Now the Republicans are doing everything they can to protect a cabal of pedophiles who made a business of raping children and have started a war to divert attention from that fact. The Rapist in Chief remains in power and illegally throws out international agreements while the US loses the respect and cooperation of the rest of the world.
Finally the democrats are recognizing the GOP for what they are, scorched earth fascists who will do absolutely anything to remain in power.
Too bad it’s too late.
Too bad it’s too late.
“Well, things look pretty bad. I guess we should just give up”
You’re confused. “Too late” does not mean “give up.”
The phrase “making a bed in a burning house” exists for a reason.
So do fire extinguishers.
If only you were capable of telling a fire extinguisher and an unmade bed apart.
Our country had accurate, fair elections for hundreds of years
You’ve been utterly taught wrong.
Fix your biases, reframe your racial and indigenous segregation: your empire remained fascist.
Given the context it should have been obvious I was referring to the fact that we have never had a political party claim millions of votes were fraudulent and refuse to acknowledge the results of a election years later, despite dozens of court decisions. Voter suppression is another subject entirely.
Then you never had “accurate, fair elections for hundreds of years.”
Don’t say inaccurate things.
Learn to comprehend what you read and consider therapy. Save your hostility and demands for someone who gives a shit what you think.
What?
The fact that this caught literally anyone in the party by surprise is utterly damning
Exactly. This stuff started long ago. In 2000 the GOP’s scorched-earth tactics became obvious when they sent their rioting staffers in to stop the vote count in Miami-Dade Florida. Roger Stone and Brad Blakeman take credit for managing the riot from a command post.
I think part of the surprise is that the court already allowed the referendum to proceed. They could have blocked it earlier but decided to change the definition of “election” AFTER the results didn’t go the way they wanted.
Didn’t their governor even say flat out? well they just need to vote harder next time
Gov. Abigail Spanberger
“More than three million Virginians cast their ballots in Virginia’s redistricting referendum, and the majority of Virginia voters voted to push back against a President who said he is ‘entitled’ to more Republican seats in Congress with a temporary and responsive referendum. They made their voices heard,” the governor said. “I am disappointed by the Supreme Court of Virginia’s ruling, but my focus as Governor will be on ensuring that all voters have the information necessary to make their voices heard this November in the midterm elections because in those elections we — the voters — will have the final say.”
The thing about this type of gerrymandering is that it can be countered by a large turnout of people voting for the disadvantaged party, because they’re spreading their supporters more thinly in more districts.
That said, the other election suppression measures trump has alluded to and will likely try are a lot harder to counter with such small margins (a county with 40% Trump voters, all of whom are armed and
serving as election observersintimidating the other voters, could absolutely swing the election in their favor, for example)Sounds like the disadvantaged party should do everything it can to win. Including, perish the thought, candidates that people actually want to vote for.
Surprise 🫢
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