Virginia Republicans rally against redistricting plan as Election Day nears
FOREST, Va. (WSET) — With less than two weeks until a pivotal vote, Republicans in the Lynchburg area are ramping up their message: vote no.
Supporters packed Bella Rose in Forest on Saturday, joined by former Gov. Glenn Youngkin, to push back against a proposed redistricting referendum they say could dramatically reshape Virginia’s political landscape.
The crowd’s message was direct and urgent.
“When governments fear the power of the people, freedom survives. But when people fear the power of the government, that is when freedom dies,” one speaker told attendees.
Republicans argue the current congressional map is fair and warn the proposed changes would tilt the balance of power, leaving many Virginians underrepresented in Washington.
“We have our Code of Virginia that no redistricting should be done to unfairly or partially favor or just favor another party. We’re going from six Democrats and five Republicans to ten Democrats and one Republican,” said Ann Parker, a Campbell County resident.
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Youngkin framed the issue as one of clarity and voter awareness as the special Election Day approaches.
“This is all about the truth and transparency, and people understanding what a no vote means, which is keeping fair maps,” he said.
Throughout the event, speakers cast the referendum as more than a routine policy question, instead describing it as a high-stakes fight over political power, both in Virginia and on Capitol Hill.
“The end goal of the Democrats in Virginia that they’re not saying out loud is that they want to tip the congressional power in D.C. so they can impeach Donald Trump,” Parker said.
She also warned of broader implications at the state level.
“They’ve also redrawn 65 districts for the state seats to ensure they have Democrat majority,” Parker said. “If this fails and they win, then the very next thing we will see is them power grabbing our state representatives as well. So we have to stop this.”
Democrats, however, are pushing back on that narrative.
Sen. Mark Warner, who was also in the region Saturday, pointed to similar redistricting battles unfolding across the country and suggested Virginia’s situation is part of a larger trend.
“No one that I’m aware of would even want this started until you saw North Carolina do this back in 2022, where they literally stole three seats. That was the difference in the House of Representatives. President Trump said, ‘Oh, my gosh, this is easy.’ He demanded it out of Texas. He’s demanding it out of Florida,” Warner said.
He added that the proposal may not be permanent.
“So I think this one-time short-term change will go back to independent 2030,” Warner said.
As the April 21 referendum draws closer, both sides are sharpening their arguments and their urgency.
For Republicans gathered in Lynchburg, the stakes feel immediate.
With just days left, they say they will keep pressing their case, warning that the outcome could shape not just district lines, but their voice in Washington for years to come.
