Virginia Democrats’ irresponsible new plan to save their gerrymander
vox.com • • nation
Key Points:
- Virginia voters approved a constitutional amendment and new congressional maps designed to give Democrats four additional House seats, but the Virginia Supreme Court invalidated this referendum, reinstating previous maps.
- Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones asked the US Supreme Court to intervene, relying on the controversial independent state legislature doctrine (ISLD), which could give the federal court final say over state election law disputes.
- The ISLD, if accepted, would shift power from state courts and legislatures to the US Supreme Court, potentially allowing the Republican-majority court to control election law interpretations and undermine Democratic influence.
- The US Supreme Court has previously weakened federal protections against partisan gerrymandering, making it risky for Democrats to seek its intervention in election law disputes.
- Critics argue that Jones’s move to involve the Supreme Court, dominated by conservatives, risks worsening Democrats’ position by empowering a court that has historically favored Republican gerrymandering efforts.