Democrats are "trying to rig the election" in Virginia with their congressional redistricting effort, former GOP Gov. Jim Gilmore told Newsmax on Tuesday.
Appearing on Newsmax's "Wake Up America," Gilmore criticized a proposed redistricting plan that could heavily favor Democrats in the state's congressional delegation.
"This is the Democratic Party trying to mislead the people of Virginia and to create a dishonest redistricting," Gilmore said. "This is an effort to rig the election."
The proposal being voted on Tuesday could result in Democrats holding as many as 10 of Virginia's 11 congressional districts, despite the state's relatively competitive political makeup.
Critics say such an imbalance would undercut fair representation for voters.
Gilmore also took issue with how the measure is being presented to voters, arguing that the ballot language is misleading.
"The ballot language itself says, should you vote yes to create fairness and to make it temporary. Well, this is not temporary," he said. "This is going to be rigged elections… which undermines the whole concept of democracy in Virginia."
The debate comes just six years after Virginia voters approved a constitutional amendment intended to reduce partisan gerrymandering by placing limits on how district maps are drawn.
Opponents of the new proposal say it reverses that effort.
Gilmore also pushed back on claims from Democrats and national figures, including former President Barack Obama, who have described the plan as a temporary step to "level the playing field."
"No, it's not temporary," Gilmore said. "And the former president is staining his reputation by doing ads like that. He also wasn't for gerrymandering either in his earlier days.
"So the point is, this is going to be a dishonest election in 2026 ... 2028 ... and probably even beyond before there could be any redistricting."
He warned that the long-term political effects could discourage voter participation, particularly among Republicans, if the outcome of elections appears predetermined.
"Why would you go to the polls ... when you already know that it's a rigged election and that the outcome is already determined?" he said.
Supporters of the proposal argue it is necessary to counterbalance Republican-led redistricting efforts in other states and ensure fair representation nationally.
However, Gilmore said Virginia should not compromise its own electoral integrity for broader political battles.
"You don't sacrifice the whole democracy in Virginia in order to try to do something different in Washington," he said.
Gilmore urged Virginians to reject the measure at the ballot box, calling on voters to "stand up for themselves" and oppose what he described as an unfair and politically driven redistricting effort.
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Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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