As Redistricting Referendum Nears, Spanberger Balances Governing and Campaigning

Gov. Abigail Spanberger on Wednesday pushed back against criticism from some fellow Democrats who say she has not done enough publicly to rally support for Virginia’s April 21 redistricting referendum. Spanberger argued that she has been clear in her support while prioritizing governing in the early months of her administration.

Gov. Abigail Spanberger speaks with reporters outside the Executive Mansion in Richmond on Wednesday, addressing criticism over her role in promoting the April 21 redistricting referendum. (Photo by Markus Schmidt/Virginia Mercury)

“I have made it very clear that I support a yes vote, and I think Virginians should vote ‘yes,’” she told reporters outside the Executive Mansion in Richmond. But, she added, “my priority and my responsibility is on governance.”

The governor has until midnight on Monday to act on hundreds of bills that the General Assembly sent to her desk last month.

The referendum, set for April 21 with early voting already underway, would temporarily allow Virginia to redraw its congressional districts mid-decade — a departure from the once-per-decade redistricting cycle — in response to aggressive map changes in other states encouraged by President Donald Trump.

Supporters say the move is necessary to maintain partisan balance nationally, while critics argue it risks politicizing the process.

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 findings underscore both the significance of the vote and the uncertainty heading into the final weeks before the election.

Spanberger dismissed suggestions that her approach has been too restrained compared with other Democratic leaders, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who actively campaigned for a redistricting-related ballot measure in his state last year.

That measure, Proposition 50, expanded reforms tied to independent redistricting oversight and was framed as a response to partisan gerrymandering concerns nationwide.

“I would argue that a second-term governor taking up an issue that’s important to him, that’s his choice,” Spanberger said of Newsom, drawing a contrast with her own position as a brand-new governor less than 90 days into her tenure: “It’s very different from a first-term governor, literally at the end of her first session.”

She pointed to significant spending already backing the referendum, including “seven-figure ad-buys” featuring her directly addressing voters.

“There’s over a million dollars worth of TV ads with my face on it,” Spanberger said. “And at the same time, my priority is doing the job that I told Virginians I want to do, which is governing.”

The governor’s balancing act comes as she faces mixed political headwinds. The Washington Post-Schar School poll also found her approval rating at 47%, with 46% disapproving and 7% undecided — a tightening margin that has drawn national attention.

Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics, described the dip as “stunning” in early coverage of the poll, noting that such numbers could complicate her standing within the Democratic Party as national attention intensifies.

Spanberger brushed aside concerns about the polling, emphasizing her electoral mandate and ongoing work in office.

“If everybody hated me, why is everybody putting my face on their mailers for the referendum?” she said. “What matters to me in the end is what I am delivering for people.”

She added that criticism of her approach “seems to run at odds with the fact that everybody thinks I’m a convincing character in whichever way they want that referendum vote to go,” seemingly referencing a GOP-funded “vote no” campaign featuring Spanberger and former President Barack Obama that critics decried as misleading.

Spanberger reiterated Wednesday: “For the record, the misinformation’s strong. I voted ‘yes’ and encouraged other Virginians to do the same.”

National and state Democrats are also ramping up public engagement efforts in the final stretch before the vote.

On Thursday evening, Roland Martin is set to host a live “Vote Yes” town hall at Virginia State University, featuring House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine of Virginia, Virginia House Speaker Don Scott, and U.S. Rep. Jennifer McClellan, D-Richmond.

The event, which will also be live-streamed, is expected to focus on encouraging early voting ahead of “Super Saturday,” when additional early voting access expands statewide, as supporters make a final push to mobilize voters before the April 21 referendum.

Republicans, meanwhile, have seized on the issue to mount a coordinated opposition campaign.

Former Gov. Glenn Youngkin recently criticized the referendum during an appearance on a podcast hosted by Sean Hannity of Fox News, calling it “illegal and unconstitutional” and warning it would undermine the state’s redistricting framework.

Youngkin is scheduled to appear at a “Vote No Rally” in Lynchburg on Saturday alongside U.S. Rep. John McGuire, R-Powhatan, and U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-Virginia Beach. Also slated to attend are state Sens. Mark Peake, R-Lynchburg, and Luther Cifers, R-Prince Edwards, and Del. Wendell Walker, R-Lynchburg.

McGuire and Kiggans are among the Republican incumbents whose districts would become more competitive if the referendum passes.

The politics around it have put Spanberger in a delicate spot — one that analysts say reflects both caution and the realities she’s dealing with.

Veteran Virginia political analyst Bob Holsworth said the governor’s approach is consistent with how she has handled the issue from the outset.

“She’s supportive, but at the same time, she doesn’t want to place all her political capital on it,” Holsworth said, noting that the referendum was not originally her initiative. “This was something that she almost inherited.”

Holsworth added that governing demands — including stalled budget negotiations — have likely limited her ability to campaign more aggressively, even as Democrats work to turn out voters.

“I think it would have been helpful if Spanberger had been more supportive,” he said, “but the reality is that she still doesn’t have a budget yet, so this has not been her highest priority.”

As early voting continues, the referendum is shaping up as both a policy question and a political test — not just for Virginia’s congressional map, but for Spanberger’s influence within her party.

“The reality is that this is about Congress, this isn’t about governing Virginia,” Holsworth said. “For someone who certainly would want to have a national profile, if the referendum doesn’t pass, she will take a significant hit from national Democrats, they will put the blame on her.”

by Markus Schmidt, Virginia Mercury

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