In a stunning and potentially unconstitutional move, Virginia’s Democrat-majority Senate has called a special session to ram through redistricting in the lead-up to this year’s election.
Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, who presides over the Senate but is also running for governor, accused Democrats of trying to get her off the campaign trail. It appears the effort could also prevent Republican wins in certain districts via gerrymandering. The surprise special session has raised controversy over whether the Virginia Senate even has the power to redistrict in this manner just before the election — and indeed, after hundreds of thousands of ballots have already been cast.
Notably, per Fox News, multiple districts are a tossup as to whether Republicans or Democrats will claim them for the House of Delegates, which would explain why Democrats are so eager to do a little of their usual gerrymandering, late in the game as it is.
Historian Christian Heiens shared some background on how the Democrats could argue what they are doing is legal (though a huge break with precedent), why the governor cannot put a stop to it, and also the loophole that might allow Republicans to stop this effort in its tracks and cry foul — which depends on very exact timing and using Democrats’ own preferred, extremely extended voting period against them.
Heiens also included a map of what Virginia could look like if the redistricting goes through. “This is what wielding power without apology actually looks like. All of this is legal. And none of it is even considered by the Right,” he complained, accusing Republicans of not “playing to win.” The key is that the Democrat redistricting effort would have to pass before the general election, but based on how early the Virginia early voting starts (late September), Republicans could make the argument that the general election is already occurring.
There is precisely one legal argument that could save us from political armageddon in Virginia.
— Christian Heiens 🏛 (@ChristianHeiens) October 23, 2025
Early voting began in September. Hundreds of thousands of ballots have already been cast. With an election currently underway, one could argue that Democrats have missed the deadline… https://t.co/dtIDoBJVzc pic.twitter.com/Hm8NtzaVMy
For Our VIPs: Shutdown Truths: Dems Inflict Suffering, Republicans Try to Fix It
Earle-Sears’s campaign furiously condemned Democrats, telling Fox News, “In a desperate political stunt, Democrats in the Virginia General Assembly are calling for a special session to drag Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears off the campaign trail. The same politicians who marched in ‘No Kings’ protests are now trying to crown themselves as the rulers of Virginia politics, abusing their offices to rig the calendar because they can’t win on ideas.”
Her campaign is framing the redistricting as a panicked effort to bolster Democratic candidates currently riddled with scandals, like Abigail Spanberger, Earle-Sears’s Democrat opponent. Earle-Sears’s campaign even suggested that Spanberger might be involved in pushing the redistricting.
Republicans need to take action as quickly as possible to thwart Democrats from a blatant power grab.
Editor’s Note: Support and follow PJ Media’s latest reporting on Democrat election rigging and President Trump's historic work to restore the rule of law. Join PJ Media VIP and use promo code POTUS47 to get 74% off your membership.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member