While the VA Redistricting Referendum Goes to Court, There's Another Option to Counter Dems' Gerrymander

It didn't take long for a Virginia court to smack down the Democrats' cynical redistricting power grab as unconstitutional. The vote was on Tuesday, and by Wednesday afternoon, the Tazewell Circuit Court had not only ruled the referendum violated Virginia's Constitution, but also denied a motion to stay pending appeal. The judge also entered an injunction blocking certification of the election.

But what if there was another solution to Virginia's Democratic problem?

Namely, what if D.C. reclaimed Arlington and Alexandria, which were both part of the District of Columbia until 1847, when that portion of D.C. was retroceded to the commonwealth after D.C. abolished slavery.

Rep. Rich McCormick (GA-07) is proposing legislation to do just that with the "Make D.C. Square Again Act."

DC Bureaucrats hijacked Virginia… but we will restore it.

Arlington and Alexandria were always meant to be a part of DC.

That’s why I introduced the Make DC Square Again Act, because it’s a simple concept: DC = 🟥 pic.twitter.com/lPWcUoQ6Yg
— Congressman Rich McCormick, MBA MD (@RepMcCormick) April 22, 2026

"So in 1846, Washington D.C. receded Arlington and Alexandria over to Virginia. That has warped the system since then," McCormick said. "That has warped the system since then. If you think about it, that's what's caused all this consternation now in the recent law that was passed, that's going to allow them to reapportion themselves ten to one, from six to five."

"What we want to do is make D.C. square again," McCormick continued, "it's a simple concept. Square. We repeal that unconstitutional law, give back Virginia exactly what it should have, give D.C. what it should have, and get this thing right."

But what if it didn't take legislation? What if President Trump issued an executive order reclaiming Arlington and Alexandria to D.C.?

It is obvious to anyone paying attention that, rather than an effort to "restore fairness" or "level the playing field," the Virginia gerrymander, or Virgerrymander, is nothing more than an effort to stack the deck in favor of Democrats to weaken President Donald Trump.
So, what can the president and his allies do? Aside from motivating Virginia residents to oppose this power grab, Trump has another tool he can use to "fight back," to borrow the supporters’ phrase. He could fight fire with fire and choose another type of re-Districting.
In 1790, Virginia and Maryland each gave five square miles of land to the Federal government to create a district for a new national capital. That Virginia land remained part of the District of Columbia until 1847, when it was retroceded to the commonwealth. The shameful reason for that retrocession was protecting slavery in Virginia when the district abolished it.
...
President Trump could issue an executive order declaring the slavery-motivated retrocession unconstitutional, triggering certain legal action, and allowing the courts to finally weigh in on whether the county of Arlington and the city of Alexandria in fact properly belong to the District of Columbia.
This order would be on better legal footing than many of President Joe Biden’s most egregious orders, such as those imposing an eviction moratorium or forgiving billions in student debt with the stroke of an (auto) pen. As some of the deepest blue areas of the commonwealth – and the country – and loaded with federal government employees, residents of this region should feel right at home as part of D.C.

It would put the issue before the courts, and it would be amazing to watch the Democrats — who haven't seen a Confederate statue they didn't want to melt down — defend this vestige of slavery.

“economic neglect and lack of representation” is a funny way to say “they wanted to keep selling slaves” pic.twitter.com/oZdijfmaw8
— G.S. Quay (@hemingquay) April 23, 2026

Yes, it is.

Democrats play to win, and it's time Republicans fought fire with fire.

Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.

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