This one’s for the ’80s kids. Just Say No to Gerrymanding!
Gerrymandering Is Poison to Rural Districts
The only way Democrats will win in District 18 is if we get out the vote. Since the last census, because they controlled the VA legislature, the Tea Party Republicans have unfairly used gerrymandering to solidify their power in rural districts like ours.
Guess how many Democrats from rural Virginia districts currently sit in the VA House of Delegates? Zero. Guess how many incumbents lost their Delegate seat in the last election? Zero. This is due to gerrymandering. It is best explained by Arnold Schwarzenegger so take a look at his video. As Arnold says, gerrymandering is bad for everyone. Primarily, because it creates an environment of polarization. Only those at the extremes engage with views that don’t represent most citizens like us.
My Second Pledge for Rural Virginians
Unfair redistricting is undermining our democratic process. It allows politicians to pick their own voters instead of voters picking their politicians.
My pledge is to be committed to bipartisan redistricting reform. This is a good policy for all Virginians. If you want to learn more about specifics in Virginia, check out OneVirginia2021.
“This November’s elections in Virginia are a top priority for Democrats and give us the opportunity to undo Republican gerrymandering and have a legislature and Congress that truly represent the views of the people,” Eric Holder, former Obama Attorney General.
This week I engaged our current Delegate, Michael Webert, on Twitter. He consistently denies the impact of gerrymandering. For me, fairness in elections is essential to our rural community. Join me and let’s get out the vote so our votes matter in Virginia’s House of Delegates.
