April 8, 2026 Editor, The News-Gazette: Not sure about Virginia’s redistricting referendum? Vote as though a fascist president is rigging Congress to keep his loyalists in power. Because that is exactly what is happening.
This time last year, no state was going to redraw any maps. Then Trump pressured Texas, Texas folded, and half a dozen other MAGA states followed. When Florida is done, MAGA will have flipped a dozen seats in Congress. If Virginia’s referendum passes, we will almost but not quite match the number of new MAGA seats. Democrats are just trying to claw up to an even playing field.
I’ve heard anti-Trump voters say this referendum doesn’t matter, there’s a blue wave coming in November, the four new seats aren’t needed. That’s all wrong.
In the past, the party out of power flipped a lot of seats. In 2018, Trump’s first midterm, Democrats flipped 40 seats. But when red states redrew their maps in 2020, they wiped out most of the swing districts. This next election will be decided by roughly a dozen races. Whichever party wins the House, they will have a majority in the single digits. Probably the low single digits. Four seats from Virginia could make or break Congress.
Even worse, the Trumppacked Supreme Court is about to overthrow the 1964 Voter Rights Act. They are dismantling the civil rights movement. That means MAGA will be allowed to gerrymander at least another dozen seats. No one knows when that decision will land. But we do know: Every seat is essential. Every vote is essential.
You have two options: vote yes, or hand Congress to Trump loyalists. Which do you think is better for democracy? CHRIS GAVALER Lexington
