State legislators will not be drawing a new map of Congressional districts, and a newly appointed judge may keep her seat on Virginia’s Supreme Court after a surprise move by Senate Democrats and one Republican.
Lawmakers were summoned to a special session by Governor Terry McAuliffe after a federal court ruled the way the Republican-controlled legislature drew Congressional district boundaries was unconstitutional. The state senate met but quickly adjourned, sending the job of drawing a new map back to the court. That was okay with Gregory Lucyk, president of One Virginia 2021 – a group pushing for non-partisan redistricting.
“I think if the courts draw the maps, they’re probably going to be better maps, less partisan, based more on traditional districting criteria, than partisan maps drawn by partisan legisaltors,” he explained.
Lucyk said what happened in Richmond showed, again, the need for a non-partisan system of drawing district maps – an approach used in Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Ohio and Iowa.
“It’s clear to me that none of the participants were concerned about what was best for the citizens of the Commonwealth. It’s another example of the legislature being unable to perform its functions because of partisan bitterness.”
Governor McAuliffe said legislators were impossibly deadlocked and had no chance of approving congressional maps that would pass constitutional muster.
Meanwhile, the Republican controlled judicial selection committee nominated Virginia Court of Appeals Judge Rossie Alston to replace recently appointed Jane Roush, but since the senate failed to confirm him, McAuliffe may be able to appoint Roush to another interim term. Brian Cannon, executive director of One Virginia 2021, said he was not surprised.
“It’s election season, so it’s silly season, and both of these things were handled accordingly.”
Retiring Republican Senator John Watkins was key to what happened Monday – voting against the Republicans’ Supreme Court nominee and joining Democrats in voting to adjourn. He earlier expressed misgivings about the way business was being done in the General Assembly.
