Virginia Democrats released their long-awaited redistricting proposal yesterday (Thursday) in a bid to expand the party’s presence in Congress while countering similar gerrymandering attempts by Republicans.
Party leaders rolled out a map that’s projected to give Democrats an advantage in 10 of Virginia’s 11 Congressional districts, and as expected, much of that comes at the expense of Northern Virginia — the bluest part of the state.
Fairfax County alone, which is currently covered by the 8th, 10th and 11th Congressional districts, would be split into five new districts under the proposed map. Most of them would spread far out west, with one reaching as far as Shenandoah County.
Major localities in Fairfax County would be split up as follows:
- 1st District: Franconia, Hayfield, Newington, Rose Hill, Woodlawn, parts of Springfield, Bailey’s Crossroads and Lorton
- 7th District: Annandale, Burke, West Springfield, West Falls Church, Pimmit Hills
- 8th District: Groveton, Fort Hunt, Hybla Valley, Mount Vernon, parts of Fort Belvoir and Lorton
- 10th District: Chantilly, Fair Oaks, Herndon
- 11th District: Fairfax City, Great Falls, McLean, Oakton, Reston, Tysons, Vienna
Despite concerns about diluting representation for Northern Virginia voters, given the political differences between the urbanizing region and more rural parts of the state, it’s all part of a process of “leveling the playing field,” Senate President pro tempore L. Louise Lucas (D-18) told reporters Thursday.
“These are not ordinary times, and Virginia will not sit on the sidelines while it happens,” she said. “We made a promise to level the playing field, and today, we’re keeping our promise … We said 10-1 and we meant it, and we are proud to deliver a map that stands up for democracy.”
House Speaker Don Scott (D-88), who represents the same Portsmouth area as Lucas, noted that Republicans in Texas, North Carolina and Missouri have heeded President Donald Trump’s call for GOP-led states to redraw their Congressional districts ahead of this November’s midterm elections.
“We’re putting [the maps] out in the open and allowing them to be debated the way they should be in a democracy,” Scott said. “We’re going to leave it up to the Virginia voters. Maps are ready, Virginia’s ready.”
Virginia has reached a 10-1 redistricting agreement. This moment reflects commitment to fair representation for communities across the Commonwealth and our nation. pic.twitter.com/lqS9IuwJzr
— L. Louise Lucas (@SenLouiseLucas) February 5, 2026
In order to accommodate the 10-1 map, local seats would become more Republican-friendly, though they would likely still lean Democratic.
The current 11th Congressional district — which includes Reston, Tysons, Fairfax City and others — supported Democrat Kamala Harris during the 2024 presidential election by 34 points. Under the new map, Rep. James Walkinshaw’s district would still be a Democratic stronghold, though only by 14 points.
Rep. Don Beyer’s neighboring 8th District, which currently consists of parts of Arlington and Alexandria, would also see a dramatic drop. In contrast, Rep. Suhas Subramanyam’s 10th District, which is centered in Loudoun and Prince William but includes the Clifton area of Fairfax County, would become more solidly Democratic.
What’s next?
The process of mid-decade redistricting requires a formal amendment to Virginia’s constitution. HJ4 would give the General Assembly the authority to modify Congressional districts at any time before Oct. 31, 2030, shifting that power away from a bipartisan redistricting commission established in 2020.
Both the House of Delegates and the state Senate have passed the bill, and it was signed into law by Gov. Abigail Spanberger this morning (Friday). In order to take effect, however, voters must approve the amendment in an election tentatively scheduled for April.
Whether Virginia will be allowed to hold that special election remains uncertain. A Tazewell County judge ruled last month that Democrats failed to follow the proper procedure for a last-minute redrawing of the maps for 2026 — a decision that will soon be taken up by the state’s Supreme Court.
