this post was submitted on 11 May 2026
191 points (98.5% liked)

Progressive Politics

4838 readers
311 users here now

Welcome to Progressive Politics! A place for news updates and political discussion from a left perspective. Conservatives and centrists are welcome just try and keep it civil :)

(Sidebar still a work in progress post recommendations if you have them such as reading lists)

founded 3 years ago
MODERATORS
 

Top Virginia Democrats have decided against exercising a controversial procedural end run around last week’s state Supreme Court ruling that struck down their redistricting, which wiped away a gain of four House seats, the Democratic leader of the state Senate told The New Republic.

The decision—which nixes a complicated idea, discussed over the weekend by Democrats, to replace the state Supreme Court and get the case reheard—is likely to anger rank-and-file Democrats who had hoped the party would respond aggressively to the ruling, which has made it more likely that Republicans hold the House this fall.

The decision also contrasts sharply with moves undertaken by many GOP state legislatures in the South, who are aggressively gerrymandering their states with wild abandon to erase decades-old majority-majority seats from existence, after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a key Voting Rights Act protection against racial gerrymanders.

top 20 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] spaghettiwestern@sh.itjust.works 117 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

As expected. Dealing with the Republican voter suppression and takeover of Congress would require the Democrats have something resembling a spine.

...is likely to anger rank-and-file Democrats

But Republicans will approve which will be more than good enough for elected Democrats.

[–] Turret3857@infosec.pub 83 points 2 months ago (1 children)

if they aren't going to fight for their voters why do they expect people to vote for them

[–] AntiBullyRanger@ani.social 26 points 2 months ago

Controlled opposition.

[–] ceenote@lemmy.world 59 points 2 months ago

Sorry, we're fresh out of backbone. Could I interest you in some complicity?

[–] limonfiesta@lemmy.world 42 points 2 months ago

Cowards, just pathetic cowards.

The Democratic Party will never beat the controlled opposition label, because that's what they are.

[–] HappyRapi@ani.social 36 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Every so often I think that there's not another new low that Democrats won't go in order to preserve their status quo. Yet here we are. Can't wait to see which group BM decides to blame this time

Mr. Coates' comment of "if you can’t draw the line at genocide, you probably can’t draw the line at democracy" rings louder every fucking day

[–] NoneOfUrBusiness@fedia.io 1 points 2 months ago

One of the few silver linings in this mess is that a whole lot of assholes who don't deserve democracy will suffer a small fraction of what they've forced on others for generations.

[–] SwingingTheLamp@piefed.zip 32 points 2 months ago (1 children)

That's so dumb. All that they had to do was to declare that it was too close to the election, and preparations were too far along, and proceed with the new maps, anyway. There's plenty of precedent.

[–] Serinus@lemmy.world 10 points 2 months ago

Ohio did exactly this, like a year out. Just kept submitting the same maps to the state Supreme Court over and over until time was up.

[–] TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world 30 points 2 months ago
[–] notfromhere@lemmy.ml 28 points 2 months ago

The ratchet effect in action.

[–] P00ptart@lemmy.world 14 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Sure, just roll over and present your tummy.

[–] AlecSadler@lemmy.dbzer0.com 7 points 2 months ago

Classic dems. Ugh.

[–] PorradaVFR@lemmy.world 10 points 2 months ago

Utter cowardice. Pathetic.

[–] homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world 8 points 2 months ago (1 children)

to replace the state Supreme Court and get the case reheard

Y’all think that’s a good idea huh.

[–] PorradaVFR@lemmy.world 4 points 2 months ago

Yes.

Ideal? No. Preferable to allowing the will of voters being quite literally ignored? Yes.

Far, far worse is happening in states where unilateral supression and redistricting is taking place. Leveraging the ELECTED officials powers to enforce the results that were voted on is honoring their votes.

[–] AntiBullyRanger@ani.social 6 points 2 months ago

This is what populism gets you.

Time to direct.

[–] Zirconium@lemmy.world 5 points 2 months ago

Is there not still time for the people of Virginia to call and force their reps to take this option?

[–] Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago

If you live in Virginia, contact your state party and let them know that this capitulation to fascism is unacceptable.

They're cheating you out of the non-fascist future you voted for.

[–] PyroNeurosis@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 2 months ago

...wild abandon to erase decades-old majority-majority seats from existence, after the...

I think they mean majority-minority seat, where a majority of the constituents of the district are Americans of a minority designation (i.e. not white).