Editorial
Confusion abounds in the final days leading up to next Tuesday’s April 21 referendum on whether to amend Virginia’s constitution temporarily in order to redraw the state’s Congressional districts to favor Democrats.
Democratic Party opponents of the practice of gerrymandering – redrawing legislative districts to favor the party in power – are faced with a quandary. Should they reject the proposed state constitutional amendment because of their distaste for gerrymandering or should they support it to counteract gerrymandering that’s occurring in other states.
Republican proponents of the “no” vote, it seems to us, ought to be focusing their efforts on the basic issue of fairness. Is it fair to redraw Congressional districts so that Democrats have a 10-to-1 advantage when their current 6-to-5 edge more accurately reflects their proportional share of votes in recent election cycles?
The GOP is following this strategy to a certain extent but then the commercials being aired to promote the “no” vote devolve into blatant appeals to the Republican base – those voters who are already presumed to be on the “no” side. The questionable message being advanced is that supposedly radical Democrats are using the opportunity presented by the referendum to adopt an extreme agenda on higher taxes, illegal immigration, transgender policies, etc.
A more sensible approach for proponents of the “no” vote would have been to confine their message to an appeal to the political center – those more likely to be persuaded on the issue of fairness. These more moderate voters among the electorate are unlikely to be persuaded by a message that appeals to the far right of the GOP base. Also, the “stop the steal” message being advanced is too reminiscent of the spurious, long-disproved claims about the 2020 presidential election being rigged.
We honestly have no idea how this election is going to go. There are so many confusing and contradictory factors at play that it seems impossible to predict the outcome. Also, it’s possible that the “yes” vote will prevail, only to be overturned later by the state supreme court, should the court rule in favor of those who have challenged the legality of the referendum.
We have long been on record as opposing the unseemly practice of gerrymandering. However, we do question the strategy of those who are attempting to stop this specific instance of gerrymandering.
