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Virginia Democrats who lead both chambers in Richmond sent a surprise alert to all lawmakers – and the Senate’s presiding officer, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears – that a special session focused on redistricting will commence Monday.
The National Democratic Redistricting Committee, chaired by former Attorney General Eric Holder, donated $150,000 each to “Spanberger, Abigail for Governor” and the Virginia “House Democratic Caucus,” according to records posted by the Virginia Public Access Project.
Virginia House Speaker Don Scott Jr., D-Portsmouth, fired off a letter earlier this week advising members to be in Richmond for special session “to consider matters properly before the ongoing session and any related business laid before the body.”
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Scott had the power to do so because a prior special session several months ago was never officially gaveled closed.
Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, D-Mount Vernon, did not respond to a prior Fox News Digital request for comment on the special session but namedropped President Donald Trump to other press and said the special session is intended to counter what he sees as successful pressure on Republican-led states to redraw maps.
House Minority Leader Terry Kilgore, R-Cumberland Gap, spoke to reporters after the news first broke – promising to do “everything legally … that we can to stop this power grab.”
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Democrats, led by then-Sen. George Barker of Fairfax, passed a state constitutional amendment in 2022 to put the power of redistricting in the hands of a semi-independent commission. The commission did also have some weighty Republican support.
However, Democrats now appear prepared to either adjust or nullify the commission’s powers depending on the specifics of any forthcoming redistricting legislation.
A constitutional amendment would not be able to physically redraw the maps, but Democrats could use the amendment process to either edit or amend the state constitution in a way they see fit.
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The legislature would need to pass any amendment resolution with a simple majority before election day. Then, per state code, they would have to pass the same legislation again in January or February – as an intervening election for the House must take place as a form of public accountability.
Then, if successful this winter, the amendment would appear as a ballot measure for the electorate to weigh in on.
The donation to Spanberger’s campaign is notable, as the sitting governor has the power to schedule the election – which must go forth no matter what.
Earle-Sears, if elected, would likely schedule it the same day as the 2026 midterms – which would ensure higher turnout. By contrast, Spanberger could schedule it any time in the summer or thereafter, which might be a time of lower turnout.
Earle-Sears’ campaign told Fox News Digital on Thursday that the move might also double as a ploy to pull her off the trail in the closing days of her battle against Spanberger.
On Holder’s PAC’s website, Spanberger’s photo is prominently posted alongside three Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justices — David Wecht, Christine Donohue and Kevin Dougherty — who are up for retention this year.
The Pennsylvania court system has also involved itself in recent mapping battles in Harrisburg between Democratic governors and the partially-Republican-controlled legislature.
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