Obama backs Virginia map redraw to potentially gain four Democratic seats

Former President Barack Obama endorses Virginia’s proposed constitutional amendment to redraw its congressional map, a plan that could net Democrats up to four seats in the upcoming midterms; early voting on the measure begins Friday after the state Supreme Court froze a lower-court ruling blocking it. Gov. Abigail Spanberger backs the amendment, arguing it’s needed to counter GOP redistricting elsewhere, as Democrats highlight a broader mid-decade redistricting trend across states including Texas, California, Missouri, Indiana, Maryland, and Florida.