Governor Vetoes New Senate Districts That Split McLean

Gov. Bob McDonnell vetoed the Virginia Senate's redistricting plan today,  saying he didn't think it would pass federal law and that it was the first plan the Senate passed in 40 years that didn't have any bipartisan support.

The Washington Post said, "The maps had been part of a deal hatched between the majority parties in the divided General Assembly in a way that protects incumbents.The Republican-controlled House of Delegates approved the plan by a largely bipartisan 86 to 8 vote, but the Democrat-led Senate adopted it on a straight party-line vote of 22 to 18. McDonnell is a Republican.

"The bill will now go back to lawmakers, who are expected to return to Richmond on April 25 to consider McDonnell’s veto and finish drawing congressional maps, The Post reported.

The Senate plan would have divided McLean between two Senate districts --- the 31st and the 32nd. Incumbent Janet Howell, whose committee conceived the Senate plan, represented the 32nd. The 31st is a open seat because its incumbent Mary Margaret Whipple of Arlington is retiring. The 31st district has been largely Arlington County but under the proposed plan it would be run from Crystal City through Arlington, through much McLean, Great Falls and into Loudoun County.

The McLean Citizens Association and its president Rob Jackson wrote the governor asking him to reject the plan." We are pleased that the Governor heeded the advice of countless Virginians with widely varied political views and vetoed a bad and unfair redistricting bill for the General Assembly," Jackson said Friday.

"Let’s hope that the General Assembly quickly adopts a new plan that does not dice communities of interest, including Greater McLean, into piece parts and that we are joined with other Fairfax County communities, as needed, to form compact districts that provide fair representation for all Virginians," Jackson said.

Jackson said in the MCA's earlier letter to the governor: “These plans effectively negate the ability of McLean residents to have responsive representation in the General Assembly, violate the General Assembly’s own standards, and flout Virginia’s long tradition of fair redistricting that protects community interests," The governor will not sign a bill that he believes does not comply with state and federal law, and does not have a reasonable chance of receiving preclearance under the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which could subject Virginia to costly and lengthy litigation," the governor's press release stated.

The General Assembly must realign the boundaries of its 40 Senate seats and 100 delegate districts once every 10 years to reflect new census numbers.