Democrats in the General Assembly released their proposed new maps for Virginia's Congressional districts.
The maps stretch many of the districts into Northern Virginia.
The 6th district, currently represented by Republican Ben Cline, would be dramatically different, running from Radford in the New River Valley through Roanoke and Lynchburg then north to Charlottesville, Staunton and Harrisonburg.
The new boundaries don't pit any incumbents against another, though many would see their district renumbered and reshaped. But the redrawn 6th District would put two high profile Democratic candidates into the same district. Both Roanoke-area author Beth Macy and Tom Perriello, from the Charlottesville area, launched campaigns well before the new maps were proposed. Both received endorsements from prominent Democrats, including Governor Abigail Spanberger, when it was presumed Macy was running in the 6th District and Perriello in the 5th District under the old boundaries.
In a statement Thursday evening, Macy said she remained committed to running for Congress. “I was ready to take on Ben Cline when the district was ruby-red—long before redistricting reared its head. I was fully prepared to fight for Virginians before it was politically convenient to do so, and I’m still ready to fight for the people of my community."
Perriello said he was similarly ready to continue his campaign. "District lines may shift, but my values and commitments to working families across Virginia never will,” Perriello said in a statement Thursday night.
Another prominent Democratic candidate, Henrico County prosecutor Shannon Taylor, shifted her campaign Friday morning. Taylor was running in the old 1st District against Republican incumbent Rob Wittman. If the new boundaries are enacted, Taylor said Friday she will run in the 5th District instead.
Voters still have to approve mid-cycle redistricting in a referendum this spring.
The effort is also being challenged in court and is likely to be determined by the state supreme court.
