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Chapter 1: What is the significance of redistricting in the 2026 midterms?
So the 2026 midterms is shaping up to be an all-out brawl, but the biggest fight may not be between Democrats and Republicans, but over the congressional maps itself.
The Texas House formally voted to advance a bill that redraws the state's congressional map. In California, state lawmakers approved a new congressional map. Just got a major decision from the Supreme Court on redistricting.
Now I get it, gerrymandering could be one of those political words that puts people to sleep, or it could be hard to determine what the tangible impact is on everyday people. So today, we're in Virginia to get a temperature check on the fairness of our democratic system, but also to put human faces to this academic problem and see what people actually think about gerrymandering.
So I'm in Ashland, Virginia, a small town just outside of Richmond, which is known for its historic train station, its central place in the story of the Civil War, and Secretariat, the Triple Crown winning horse. Ashland calls itself the center of the universe, and that checks out because it's the center of the political universe, at least when it comes to the 2026 midterms.
That's because Ashland sits in Virginia's first congressional district, which is one of only about 35 or so congressional districts that are actually competitive. That makes Virginia particularly important when it comes to the question of gerrymandering.
Now, remember, Donald Trump started this gerrymandering fight in the midterms, encouraging Republicans to draw more and more safe red seats so that Republicans have a chance of holding the House. Now, Democrats fought back, particularly in places like Virginia, where they tried to draw a new congressional map that could basically counter what Republicans were doing in other states.
In Virginia, voters are heading to the polls Tuesday to weigh in on a ballot measure that could reshape the state's congressional map. It's Democrats pushing for a referendum. We can now call that Virginia voters have voted in favor of a referendum.
that new map, but it's really thrown this whole area into flux, so I wanted to check in with some of the candidates and volunteers who've been at the center of this fight, starting with Katie Sitterson, a volunteer from Indivisible Virginia who's been going all across the 1st Congressional District talking to people about what they feel and also volunteering for candidates.
Now, Katie's gone on her own journey with gerrymandering, so I wanted to ask her how she thinks about the maps, but also, what's she hearing from people when she's out there?
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Chapter 2: How does gerrymandering affect voter engagement in Virginia?
You know, democracy was a huge topic in the 2024 election, but it didn't seem like it motivated people enough to reject Donald Trump. Now, you're still focusing on that kind of in the years after because of what kind of has come out of the White House. What is it about democracy and defending democracy that maybe didn't motivate people in 2024 that you might think is different now?
Maybe people didn't, you know, like, they didn't think it was really at risk, or it wasn't a big deal, or people are making too big of a deal of it, or you're exaggerating. Now we're in it, and can you see all the things that are happening and the corruption? I don't know. I don't know if I have a good answer.
No, I think it's a fair point. Some people maybe thought it was an issue in their heads, but now it might be a little more tangible. I think it should be. I mean, we're also here, of course, because Virginia has been at the center of this gerrymandering fight. I wanted to ask you about this.
You're someone who lives in Virginia's first district, which is not only competitive, but was thrown into flux by some of these new maps and the removal of the new maps. Can you just tell me what this last year and a half has been like for you as someone involved in the congressional race and volunteering?
It's interesting, right? Because I feel like for such a long time, the message was drilled, right? Gerrymandering's not a good thing. We don't like it. And then all of a sudden, we're going out and volunteering and telling people, vote for this, right?
And so it's kind of an uphill battle to convince people now, not that you're convincing them now gerrymandering's okay, but then you're trying to explain in this particular situation, with these factors, this is what we're doing and this is why. And I feel like that was a huge challenge.
Let me ask about your own journey on that question. I mean, were you someone who kind of thought of gerrymandering as a no-no and has now been convinced to say, in maybe some instances?
So, yeah, I definitely don't support gerrymandering. But then I think it was the fact, like the conditions, right? Well, we're not, this wasn't an idea that we just dreamed up. This was a response to what had already been done. And also, it was a vote for the people. So it wasn't just decided on. We're giving the people a vote. Those factors made me feel more comfortable to be able to support it.
So if I hear you right, it kind of sounds like you're saying you felt like your hands were tied. You felt like, in the context of the situation, this was something Democrats needed to embrace. Yes. All right, so now that the court has thrown those maps out, what was the impact then?
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Chapter 3: What is the human impact of gerrymandering in competitive districts?
Yeah, absolutely.
Okay, just around the corner, I think. Yep.
Around the corner?
Yep.
I would love for you to introduce yourself.
I'm Tim Sawinski. I'm one of the candidates running in Congressional District 1 in Virginia.
Katie told me about how she got involved in politics, how the last year and a half has made her much more activated and just focused in terms of flipping these seats. When did you decide to get in the race? Why did you decide to get in the race?
I've been working in politics in some form or another for the last 15 years. My first way into this was I was an intern for the Obama for America campaign in 2008, and I thought government work, that's the key to solutions.
Worked in the US Senate, worked on campaigns, and then I didn't like what I saw, so I became a community organizer in education, economic fairness, I do environmental justice now, And you really can't do what I do and think that this system works for everyday people. It doesn't. What do you mean? I mean that people get left out in the cold.
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Chapter 4: How have recent political events influenced voter sentiment?
People know a raw deal when they're in front of it.
But I guess I was interested in what you were saying, that it does seem that congressional stock trading is a motivating thing. What is the connection between affordability and corruption?
It's a couple of things. When you see that they're enriching themselves, you don't have to know the nuances of the stock market or insider trading. You just see that they're getting wealthier, while at the same time, everybody else is getting, it's harder to live. Life shouldn't be this unaffordable.
And if you say like, yes, it's because of them, but also at the same time, they're enriching themselves, that drives people crazy. And that doesn't matter who they voted. And for them, it doesn't matter who they voted for in the last election.
Is that the right way to think about this? Not just corruption on one side, affordability on the other side, but the combo of people seeing that their lives are getting more expensive as Donald Trump is grifting along the way?
I think so. I mean, you have a person who's putting up gold statues and decking out the White House, you know. Yeah, yeah. Ballrooms. Yeah, like, I just, I don't know. It's hard. I just speak for myself. Like, that makes me angry. And I don't know how you wouldn't have a problem with that. Like, anybody. It doesn't matter which president it is and which...
you know, what letters in front of his name, it should anger everybody. Like, why is that fair? That's not how the office was set up.
You know, the reason we're here beyond the question of the maps is also, you know, just Virginia won's unique place as one of the few competitive districts. The numbers and history would tell us that midterms are not won and lost for persuasion necessarily, at least when it comes to November. But for which party is more motivated?
by where the enthusiasm is and how folks are feeling about the president. We're going to this candidate forum tonight. Tell me what we should expect.
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Chapter 5: What challenges do volunteers face in promoting democratic engagement?
Trump, the second term.
Yeah, when he started dismantling democracy.
You said you were out there in the first term. You were out there in the second term. Yeah. Can I ask, like, what was it about this second term specifically that became the more motivating for you?
And he started firing people and dismantling the government, for starters.
He's talking about those early Doge actions?
Yes. That, for starters, got me to my first No Kings protest.
Okay. You started in No Kings.
Yeah. And then I got connected with RDA Indivisible.
Okay.
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