I’m getting sick as heck of Democrats, reporters, editors, pundits and everyone else who enjoys being wrong blaming Republicans for how the 3rd District is drawn.
The latest example from today’s Virginian-Pilot editorial.
“The 3rd District, a gerrymandered mess that snakes along the James River from Richmond to Norfolk, packed black voters specifically to establish a comfortable seat for a Democrat while diluting black voters’ influence in neighboring districts. Those, of course, are held by Republicans.”
That “gerrymandered mess” was originally drawn from the 1990 census. For those who don’t tend toward research, let me tell you about a few things.
1. Both the House and Senate of the Virginia General Assembly were controlled by Democrats and the Governor was a Democrat. Hence, the 1990s redistricting was done entirely by Democrats.
Prior to 1990, the 3rd District was a circle around Richmond.
It was the DEMOCRATS who gerrymandered it.
2. The “Neighboring districts” the Pilot mentioned weren’t held by Republicans when this district was initially gerrymandered. Democrat Owen Pickett held the 2nd and Democrat Norm Sisisky held the 4th.
Does anyone want to make the argument that Pickett and Sisisky “packed black voters specifically to establish a comfortable seat for a Democrat while diluting black voters’ influence in neighboring districts” – their own districts?
Reporters? Democrats? Are you calling these late Democrat public servants racists? Are you?
3. Republicans sued Governor Wilder calling this a discriminatory gerrymander, but the court ruled against them.
4. This new 3rd district was drawn to comply with the Justice Department’s view that Virginia must have a minority-majority district.
That’s right! The same federal government who now says the 3rd needs to be redrawn because it packs racial minorities into it is the same federal government that told Virginia it had to do exactly that in the 1990s.
5. The real reason districts were gerrymandered? Democrats wanted to get George Allen.
Don’t ask me. Ask Larry Sabato.
“Looking to create Democratic gains, Democrats drew Rep. George Allen (R), who had just won a 1991 special election to represent the old 7th District, into a new 7th District with veteran Rep. Thomas Bliley (R). Allen chose not to challenge Bliley for the GOP nomination, waiting instead for other political opportunities to arise. In the short term, the new plan was largely successful for Democrats in 1992: state Sen. Bobby Scott (D) won the new majority-minority 3rd easily, while state Del. Leslie Byrne (D) won the new 11th. (Crystal Ball)”
So, from Crystal Ball again, here’s the Third before 1990.
And here’s the third that the Democrats drew in the 90s
Can anyone now explain to me how Virginia Republicans had anything to do with creating the 3rd district the way it is?
Class dismissed.
