CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Democrats in the state legislature are taking the first steps toward possible redistricting, ruminations that drew swift condemnation from Republican attorney general Jason Miyares on Tuesday.

Senators Creigh Deeds and Ghazala Hashmi told Cville Right Now that the Democrats are simply responding to Republican-led redistricting efforts in other states, efforts driven by President Donald Trump.

“The president has put us in a really bad spot,” Deeds said Tuesday. “Going into Texas, and Indiana, and Missouri, and North Carolina and Kansas, all these other Republican-leaning states. We feel a real patriotic duty to try to save our democracy.”

Monday, state Democrats amended the agenda for a special session to allow a redistricting amendment to be brought forward at a future time. Virginia’s current Congressional delegation includes six Democrats and five Republicans.

“Virginians are angry about the direction of the country, the direction that Donald Trump has been taking us,” Hashmi, the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor, told Cville Right Now on Tuesday. “My Senate colleagues and I, as well as our House colleagues, we are responding to the urgency at the moment. We’re responding to what the Virginians have been asking us to do. … This constitutional amendment is returning power back to the people.”

Deeds said the effort, at this point, is about positioning the legislature to act in the new year. He noted that, ultimately, any redistricting amendment would have to be approved by Virginia votes in a statewide referendum.

“There have been no maps drawn,” Deeds said. “There are no plans made. There’s nothing out there. Right now, we’re just trying to keep as many options open and available to us as possible.”

By holding a legislative vote on an amendment this year, Virginia could undertake the required second vote early next year.

But Miyares, running for re-election as attorney general, released a statement claiming that by beginning the process now Democrats would be shortcutting the proper procedure. He said the current law requires the amendment to be considered twice by the General Assembly with an election in between. Miyares’ legal opinion, he wrote, is that with early voting having started, this timing does not meet that standard.

“The Virginia Constitution is clear and it ensures that the voice of the people of Virginia is paramount when trying to change the terms of our governing document,” said Miyares said in a release. “This last ditch effort by politicians to hijack the redistricting process (and avoid accountability for doing so) is precisely why I supported the Nonpartisan Redistricting Commission as a delegate.  Keeping politics out of the process was the right thing to do then, and I strongly believe that it is the right thing to do now, especially given that approximately a million Virginians have already voted without the advantage of even having read the proposed constitutional amendment.

“Allowing an amendment to be proposed and approved while a general election is underway undermines the voice of Virginia voters and violates foundational principles of Virginia constitutional law.”

Deeds dismissed Miyares’s opinion as political posturing, pointing out a potential constitutional amendment would not be considered until next year, at which point it would go to the voters.

Hashmi agreed.

“This is not affecting next week’s elections,” Hashmi said. “This is a real focus on what we are doing moving forward, so it has no impact on next week’s elections.”

Deeds said Trump’s pressure on Republican states to redraw their districting maps to give the GOP an advantage forces Democrats hands into responding. In fact, Republican-controlled states Texas, Missouri and North Carolina have approved new districting maps that will likely give the GOP more seats in Congress.

“He’s trying to rig the game against Democrats,” Deeds said. “We’re just trying to provide balance. We’re trying to respond to that. Provide some balance for the country. This special session is just the first step in that process.”

Deeds said the Senate caucus is “united on this” and he believes there will be similar support from Democrats in the House of Delegates.

Abigail Spanberger – the Democratic nominee for governor – has no objections to the Democrats’ actions.

“While neither the Governor nor a candidate for Governor plays a formal role in this initial phase of the process, Abigail thinks it’s prudent that the General Assembly keeps all possible options open, and she looks forward to future discussion,” a Spanberger spokesperson told Cville Right Now on Tuesday.

Spanberger was scheduled to hold campaign events in both Nelson and Albemarle County on Tuesday. Through a spokesperson she declined an interview request.