GOP leaders rally in Lynchburg, accusing Democrats of unconstitutional map-drawing ahead of April 21 referendum.
With just 10 days remaining before Virginia voters decide a closely watched redistricting referendum, former Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Saturday called on the Supreme Court of Virginia to strike down the measure, arguing it stems from what he described as an unconstitutional process.
Speaking before a crowd of at least 150 people at a “Vote No Rally” held at the Bella Rose estate in Lynchburg, Youngkin returned to the campaign trail for the first time since leaving office in January, joining Republican lawmakers and officials in a coordinated push to defeat the April 21 ballot measure.
“They’ve proposed a map that is not only, in my view, the result of a process that’s unconstitutional and illegal,” Youngkin said, urging the state’s high court to intervene. “I call on our State Supreme Court to do its job and opine on it.”
The rally, hosted by U.S. Rep. John McGuire, R-Goochland, featured a lineup of Republican figures, including former Attorney General Jason Miyares, U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-Virginia Beach, and several state lawmakers from the Lynchburg region.
Youngkin sharply criticized both the proposed congressional map and the process behind it, calling it “the most ridiculous usurping of the voice of the people that you could possibly imagine.”
He argued the ballot language itself is misleading and accused Democrats of violating constitutional and procedural requirements in advancing the amendment.
At the center of Republican messaging was Gov. Abigail Spanberger, whom speakers repeatedly cast as a key figure behind the redistricting effort. Youngkin labeled her “Governor Bait-and-Switch,” accusing her of reversing campaign positions.
“Virginia is under assault because we have leadership in Richmond that is trying to take away your vote,” Youngkin said, adding that Spanberger had promised not to pursue redistricting but signed legislation enabling the current proposal shortly after taking office.
President Donald Trump, who visited Charlottesville for a private fundraiser Friday, also took aim at the Virginia Democrat in a post on Truth Social on Saturday, accusing her of undermining Virginia’s economy through tax policy.
“I can’t believe what this new Governor, Spanberger, has done to the Commonwealth — So sad!” Trump wrote, going on to criticize what he described as a series of new taxes and claiming the state has “lost its Energy, Vitality, and Strength,” with businesses reconsidering investments made during the Youngkin administration.
Spanberger pushed back in a post on X, formerly Twitter, disputing Trump’s claims and accusing him and his allies of spreading misinformation about her record.
“The President and his allies are talking about taxes that our state legislature never even voted on and I certainly didn’t sign,” she wrote, adding that the criticism was meant to distract from legislation she said is aimed at lowering energy costs, strengthening schools, making housing more affordable and attracting business investment to Virginia.
The redistricting referendum would temporarily allow Virginia to redraw its congressional districts mid-decade, a move Democrats have framed as a response to aggressive redistricting in Republican-led states.
Spanberger has publicly supported the measure while emphasizing that her focus remains on governing rather than campaigning.
Republicans, however, have argued the proposal would tilt the state’s current 6-5 congressional split heavily in Democrats’ favor, potentially creating a 10-1 map.
Miyares, who co-chairs the Virginians for Fair Maps PAC, echoed Youngkin’s criticisms, accusing Spanberger of going back on a key campaign pledge.
“By every definition, Abigail Spanberger has broken the promises she made to Virginia,” Miyares said, pointing to her earlier statement that she had “no plans” to redistrict Virginia.
He also criticized the design of the proposed districts, describing one as the “Lobster District” due to its unusual shape, and argued that the map was drawn without sufficient public input.
McGuire framed the referendum as a reversal of voter intent following a 2020 constitutional amendment that established an independent redistricting commission.
“Virginia has the fairest maps in the country,” McGuire said. “Now that (Democrats) have power, they’ve changed their mind, and they want to take away your voice.”
Kiggans similarly warned that the proposed changes would concentrate political power, saying the current maps more closely reflect statewide voting patterns.
“What they want to do to Virginia nowadays is make 92% of our commonwealth to be represented by one political party,” she said. “That is wrong, that is unconstitutional, that is illegal.”
GOP state lawmakers in attendance reinforced those arguments, focusing on both the process and the potential political consequences.
Sen. Luther Cifers, R-Prince Edward, called the effort “patently dishonest,” while Sen. Mark Peake, R-Lynchburg, urged voters to reject what he described as an attempt by Northern Virginia Democrats to dominate representation statewide.
“We have got to fight this unconstitutional gerrymandered state,” Peake said.
Del. Wendell Walker, R-Lynchburg, accused Democrats of breaking earlier commitments to maintain stable district maps through the decade.
Outside elected officials, attendees also voiced concerns about the broader implications of the referendum.
Jason Redman, a former Navy SEAL, framed the issue in no uncertain terms. “This is when freedom truly starts to erode,” Redman said.
Saturday’s rally came as early voting continues across the state. Voting began March 6 and runs through April 18, giving campaigns a limited window to influence turnout.
Also on Saturday, former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder spoke at a “Vote Yes” rally in Arlington, offering a counterpoint to Republican opposition.
Holder, who has long advocated for independent redistricting, told The Mercury in an interview Friday that he now supports the measure as a necessary response to Republican-led redistricting efforts in other states, saying, “we have to do something.”
Initial data has shown stronger participation in Republican-leaning areas, potentially shaping campaign strategies in the final days before the vote. And a recent Washington Post-Schar School poll highlighted the tight divide among voters, with 52% of likely voters saying they’re in favor of the measure.
The referendum has also been the subject of legal challenges.
The Supreme Court of Virginia previously allowed the vote to proceed despite objections from Republicans, a decision welcomed by Democrats, including former President Barack Obama and Spanberger.
Youngkin’s call Saturday for the court to now strike down the measure signals a continued legal and political battle even as ballots are already being cast.
Chris Faraldi, a Republican member of the Lynchburg City Council, said opposition to the referendum extends beyond party lines.
“It’s not so much Democrats and Republicans,” Faraldi said. “It’s more like Virginia versus everybody else.”
