CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – About 200 people rallied on the steps of the old Louisa County courthouse on Sunday afternoon, demonstrating against the proposed constitutional redistricting amendment. The event was attended by Republican Congresspeople John McGuire and Jen Kiggans, State Senator Luther Cifers, Del. Buddy Fowler and former Lt. Gov. candidate John Reid.

The speakers urged Virginians to vote against the redistricting amendment.

“They recognize if they’re in rural Virginia, that if this thing passes on April 21st, a bunch of things change that we have taken for granted,” Reid told Cville Right Now. “You will have five of the congressional districts anchored in Fairfax County alone, the wealthiest county, the county with the most people, that’s already got the most contractors, and federal influence in the whole state. They will rule Virginia. And they do tend to vote Democrat.”

Sunday’s rally was part of an escalating effort by Republicans to oppose the proposed redistricting amendment, a temporary gerrymandering of the voting maps that experts project could allow Democrats to gain four Congressional seats. If voters reject the initiative, which Democrats in the General Assembly passed as a response to a similar Republican redistricting in Texas, the current maps would stay in place until the 2030 census.

Saturday, former Gov. Glen Youngkin attended an anti-redistricting event in Lynchburg. And, in the past week, tech billionaire Peter Thiel has reportedly given significant funds to back the GOP effort to stop the measure.

Democrats are widely expected to outspend Republicans in supporting their side of the initiative. Why hasn’t the national Republican machine prioritized the situation in Virginia?

“I wish I could answer that question,” said Reid, a former conservative talk radio host who lost in his bid for the lieutenant governor post by 11 points in November. “Last year, I was so frustrated that I had polls showing me tied, right up to the end, with Ghazala Hashmi, and she was building a huge war chest of close to $1 million, and I could barely get to $20,000, and the Republicans just kind of left me hanging.

“I will never forget that horrible feeling of working really hard and then not having those dollars available.”

Reid praised Thiel and House Speaker Mike Johnson for directing more money to the GOP’s anti-redistricting effort in the past week.

“I think some of the groups are coming in here and they’re coming in with the money they do have to offer, because they’re seeing all of us pull together,” Reid said. “Even people who don’t like each other tremendously, are pulling together to work hard.”

Youngkin spoke at the Saturday rally, attended by about 200 people, along with McGuire, Kiggans and former Virginia attorney general Jason Miyares.

Former Gov. George Allen challenged Gov. Abigail Spanberger to a debate on the redistricting question, he told Cville Right Now. Spanberger and former President Barack Obama are among the Democrats urging Virginians to vote yes on the proposed amendment.

While some in the party criticized Youngkin for not being more involved sooner, Reid said the former governor’s stance has been appropriate.

“I think the Governor worked nonstop for four solid years,” Reid said. “It’s traditional in Virginia that the old governor kind of steps away and, during the General Assembly session, doesn’t get involved in the immediate back and forth politically. So, I respect that Glenn Youngkin was being a traditional Virginia leader by stepping away during the General Assembly session. I hope people might actually respect that.”

A McGuire spokesperson said he was unavailable to comment.

Saturday, Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries attended a pro-redistricting canvassing event in Charlottesville.

Early voting in Virginia began March 6 and runs through April 18. Election Day is April 21.

A recent George Mason/Washington Post poll shows likely voters, by a slim margin, support the amendment, though turnout in Republican-controlled districts has outpaced Democratic turnout to date, according to the Virginia Public Access Project.