Is tit-for-tat political gerrymandering the future of US politics?
4/22/20269 min
Virginia voters delivered a major win to Democrats on Tuesday.
A narrow majority voted to allow lawmakers to bypass the state's bipartisan redistricting commission. That means the Democratic-led legislature will create a map that’s more favorable to them in the midterms.
It's the latest chapter in a redistricting saga that President Trump started last year, but is the tit-for-tat redistricting battle the future of US electoral politics?
We speak with Democratic Virginia governor Abigail Spanberger to hear her perspective.
For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
Email us at considerthis@npr.org.
This episode was produced by Tyler Bartlam and Matt Ozug. It was edited by Tinbete Ermyas. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsJuana Summers· Host0:00
On Tuesday, Virginia voters wrote the latest chapter in the ongoing nationwide saga over redistricting.
Speaker 10:05
Virginia's approval for redistricting brings Democrats even or ahead of the Republican redistricting push- It's a saga that President Trump started last summer when he called on Texas to change their congressional map to add five Republican seats.
Abigail Spanberger· Guest0:19
Five, I think we get five, and there could be some other states we're gonna get another three or four or five- And Texas did just that, followed by two other states with Republican-led legislatures.
Speaker 10:29
North Carolina's Republican-led legislature has passed a new congressional map that could help the GOP win another seat.
Juana Summers· Host0:36
Missouri has joined Texas in redrawing its congressional maps to protect the Republican majority in the midterm elections. Then California entered the chat.
Speaker 30:44
In California, voters overwhelmingly approved a ballot measure that will let lawmakers redraw the state's congressional maps. The goal is to try to send five more Democrats to Congress.
Juana Summers· Host0:54
Now Virginians are the latest to vote for a partisan congressional map, potentially setting up Democrats to win ten out of the state's 11 congressional seats. The map faces court challenges, but for now, Democrats hold a slight edge heading into the midterms. Here's Democratic Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger.
Abigail Spanberger· Guest1:12
I think that what it shows is that voters want to take a stand against so much of the chaos that, that they see in Washington, and we had the opportunity with the votes of the people, uh, to, to take a stand and, and push back against that.
Juana Summers· Host1:25
[gentle music] Consider this, President Trump sought to manipulate