Va. House OKs redrawn districts protecting incumbents

RICHMOND

Now that they have taken effective control of the General Assembly, Republicans are fast-tracking a congressional redistricting plan designed to protect Virginia’s incumbent congressmen.

Democratic objections to the plan were brushed aside as the Republican-led House of Delegates gave preliminary approval to the plan today, the second day of the Assembly’s 2012 session. Both sides conceded, however, that the matter is likely to end up in court.

Districts must be redrawn every 10 years to reflect population changes documented by the U.S. Census.

The plan approved by the House today is identical to one passed by the House last year. It protects all 11 current members of Virginia’s delegation in the U.S. House of Representatives, which has an 8-3 Republican majority.

That plan was rejected last year by the state Senate, then controlled by Democrats, in favor of a rival plan that would have created an African-American majority in the 4th District, endangering the re-election chances of Rep. Randy Forbes, R-Chesapeake.

Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Newport News, is the only African-American in the current delegation.

Del. Jennifer McClellan, D-Richmond, argued in a floor speech today that with a 20 percent African-American population, the state should have two districts in which African-Americans comprise a decisive voting bloc.

She accused the Republicans of “packing” African-American voters into Scott’s district. The bill increases the African-American majority in that district from 53 to 56 percent.

“We in Virginia have a history of not doing the right thing for nefarious reasons,” McClellan said – a reference to the state’s history of repressing minority voting rights, which brought federal intervention under the U.S. Voting Rights Act.

Del. Rob Bell, R-Albemarle County, the sponsor of the measure, said he is confident that it complies with the federal law.

House Minority Leader David Toscano, D-Charlottesville, suggested that the measure is unconstitutional because the state Constitution specifies that the district lines were to be redrawn in 2011. Bell replied: “We believe we have the constitutional prerogative to pass this plan.”

Pending final House approval Friday, the plan will go to the Senate, which now has a 20-20 split between the two parties. Republican Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling’s tie-breaking role gives Republicans a working majority on most matters.

After the House debate today, Bell and Toscano both said there is a good likelihood that the dispute will go to court.

If it does, the judges will be working under the gun of impending election deadlines. Members of Congress are up for election this year, with primaries scheduled in June and the general election in November.