Ben Cline warns Virginia redistricting may shift energy steadiness

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Lower than per week earlier than Virginians head to the polls to resolve the destiny of the state’s congressional map, a consultant from a district on the heart of the controversy pushes again.

In an interview with the Ruthless Podcast launched on Thursday morning, Rep. Ben Cline, R-Va., rebuffed the efforts by Virginia Democrats to alter the format of the congressional districts forward of the 2026 midterm elections.

"Their objective is the lengthy sport," Cline stated of the Democrat-backed redistricting attempt . "It's the brief sport of the following election, however it’s additionally the lengthy sport of making an attempt to show rural Virginia into both a non-impact on politics or convert. You both assimilate otherwise you’re destroyed."

Underneath the proposed map, Cline’s district within the western a part of the state can be divided into 5 new seats. Josh Holmes, a co-host of the podcast, defined that this is able to dilute the affect of rural voters.

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat. (Steve Helber/AP Photograph; Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg through Getty Photos)

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"They're trying to separate into 5 completely different districts to attenuate a rural vote that they will overcome with Northern Virginia suburban NGO protection contractors," Holmes stated through the interview.

Virginia Democrats are following a nationwide pattern. Cline famous how this redistricting playbook has been utilized by Democrats throughout the nation.

"They undoubtedly need to flip us into New England," the congressman first elected in 2018 stated. "Massachusetts used to have Republican members of Congress, a way more balanced delegation. Now it’s 9-0. However Republicans vote, what, 40 % of the inhabitants there. They do it in Illinois. Many of the states the place they management, they’re making an attempt to only draw Republicans fully out."

<img src="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/04/1200/675/abigail-spanberger-comments-on-immigration.jpg?ve=1&tl=1" alt="Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger delivers the Democratic response to U.S. President Donald Trump's State of the Union address on February 24, 2026 in Williamsburg, Virginia. Spanberger is serving in her first year as governor and is the first woman to hold the position in the Commonwealth of Virginia." width="1200" height="675"/> Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger delivers the Democratic response to U.S. President Donald Trump's State of the Union handle on February 24, 2026 in Williamsburg, Virginia. (Mike Kropf/Getty Photos)

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Cline’s feedback come because the polling on the referendum is tightening. A latest ballot from the Washington Submit confirmed assist for redrawing the state’s maps, main by solely 5 points . The projections present a more in-depth race than final yr’s gubernatorial election, the place Democrat Abigail Spanberger defeated Republican Winsome Sears by greater than 15 points .

Voters will get their probability to weigh in on the redistricting battle on Tuesday. Virginians will resolve whether or not to approve a constitutional amendment enabling the Normal Meeting to redraw the state’s congressional map.

Democrats declare that creating new maps would restore fairness to apportionment. Republicans argue that this can be a gerrymander by turning the delegation from a six-five Democrat-majority to a 10-one Democrat-majority in a state the place Kamala Harris solely beat Donald Trump by six points .

Virginia Gov. Abigail Davis Spanberger laughs aloud throughout a ceremony in a Virginia courtroom in Richmond. (Mike Kropf-Pool/Getty Photos)

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Rep. Morgan Griffith , R-Va., who at present represents the Southwest a part of the state, would possible turn out to be the one Republican remaining in Virginia’s delegation.

Cline appeared on Ruthless as part of the Ruthless Midterm Interview Series , an ongoing initiative to interview main GOP candidates. The hosts have already interviewed candidates in 12 states, with extra scheduled as primaries throughout the nation happen forward of the November midterms.

After Tuesday’s election on the map, Virginians will return to the polls on August 4th for the Republican and Democratic congressional major elections. The overall elections will happen on November third.