Letters
Amendment ‘Attempt To ‘Ensure Even Playing Field’
March 16, 2026 Editor, The News-Gazette: Everyone knows the game of shuffleboard - one team pushes a disc across a board in hopes that it lands on a high-scoring space. The opposing team does the same, and whichever team has the most points at the end, wins. It’s not a written rule of the game, but shuffleboard assumes that the board is completely even, giving both teams an equal chance of winning.
Now assume one team surreptitiously starts raising their end of the board. Maybe they slide a thin piece of wood under their side, elevating it slightly. Then another. The other team can still play, but these small changes make it impossible for them to win. The game is now fixed.
This is why I am voting yes on Virginia’s redistricting amendment. This is not a Virginia issue, it’s an American one. The other “team” has been raising their side of the board for months now (at Trump’s request, Texas, North Carolina and Missouri have all gerrymandered in favor of Republicans). Left unchecked, we all Virginia included -will no longer be living in a democracy, but an autocracy, lead by the most divisive president in modern history.
This amendment is not about tipping the scales in favor of Virginia’s Democratic Party - it’s an attempt to ensure an even playing field going into the national midterm elections. If Republicans can’t win the national midterms fairly - on the issues - then maybe they should have an honest conversation about whether Trump is an asset to their Grand Old Party, or a liability.
JOHN PAUL CANDLER Lexington
