Obama urges Virginians to vote for redistricting measure 

Former President Obama urged Virginia voters in a new ad to approve a redistricting measure next month that would give Democrats in the Old Dominion State new pickup opportunities ahead of November. 

“Over the past year, several Republican-controlled states have taken the unprecedented step of redrawing their congressional maps in the middle of the decade, and they’ve done it for a simple reason to give themselves an unfair advantage in the midterms this fall,” Obama said in an ad for the group behind the Virginia redistricting measure.

“In April, Virginians can respond by making sure your voting power is not diminished by what Republicans are doing in other states,” he added. 

Virginia Democrats are teeing up a referendum for April 21 that asks voters to allow lawmakers to pass a new set of congressional lines, bypassing the state’s independent redistricting commission. Early voting begins on Friday. 

Lawmakers have already passed a House map that would give Democrats four pickup opportunities in the state, though the redistricting ballot measure notes the initiative is temporary.  

Republicans have repeatedly sought to stop Democrats from moving forward with the referendum, though the state’s high court has twice ruled that the April election can move forward as it weighs the broader merits of the case. 

Virginia offers Democrats its last chance to pass a new set of congressional lines as the two parties have been engaged in a redistricting tit-for-tat ahead of November. Republicans have passed new maps in Texas, North Carolina and Missouri, while Democrats approved new district lines in California and enjoy a potential pickup opportunity in Utah as a result of a court ordered-new map. 

Florida Republicans are also set to convene next month for a special session over a new map, where the GOP is eyeing up to five additional seats.

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