2026-04-21T09:00:56.359Z / 美国有线电视新闻网（CNN）
作者：杰夫·泽莱尼
2小时前
发布于 2026年4月21日，美国东部时间上午5:00
4月17日，在弗吉尼亚州伯克的一个投票站，一名选民在弗吉尼亚州重划选区公投的提前投票中投票。
亚历克斯·王/盖蒂图片社
弗吉尼亚州正处于一场前所未有的跨海岸重划选区大战的最新前沿，选民将于周二决定是否接受民主党提出的大幅重新划分该州国会选区的方案，这将有助于左右中期选举的结果。
已有近140万弗吉尼亚州选民提前投票，这显示出这场四月特别选举的极高关注度。投票最后一天为周二，美国东部时间上午6点至下午7点开放投票。该方案若通过，将帮助民主党拿下该州11个国会选区中的10个——与目前民主党占6席、共和党占5席的席位分布相比，将是重大转变。
“这场战斗不是我们挑起的，但我要对弗吉尼亚州民众说，我们需要把它进行到底，”弗吉尼亚州众议院民主党议员多洛雷斯·麦奎因在重划选区竞选最后阶段的一场集会上告诉CNN，“我们可以帮助打造公平竞争的环境。”
弗吉尼亚州是重划选区军备竞赛的最后几章之一。去年，前总统唐纳德·特朗普在得克萨斯州率先发难，称共和党“理应多获得五个席位”。加州民主党人以及其他几个州随即作出回应，这种针锋相对的做法最终催生了9个更有利于共和党的选区，以及6个更有利于民主党的选区。
“眼下发生的是有史以来最明目张胆的权力攫取，”弗吉尼亚州前州长、反对该方案的共和党核心人物格伦·扬金说道，他避而不谈是得克萨斯州开启了这场罕见的中期选举期间重划选区之争。
在这场备受关注的竞选中，民主党筹集的资金是共和党人的两倍多，这可能有助于决定哪个政党在秋季选举后控制国会。据广告影响追踪机构AdImpact的数据，仅广告支出一项，民主党就花费了5500万美元，而共和党为2300万美元。
尽管支出差距悬殊，但民主党人承认胜利远非板上钉钉，称选举日的投票率将至关重要。共和党人也持同样看法，他们认为民主党想要获得10比1的席位优势，与该州的选民构成不符。2024年，前副总统卡玛拉·哈里斯以近52%的得票率赢得了该州。
以下是这场竞选涉及的几个关键动态——不仅关乎弗吉尼亚州，也关乎全美。
民主党面临高风险高回报
对民主党来说，弗吉尼亚州这场竞选的风险和回报都格外高。
如果周二晚间公投通过，该党在争取控制美国众议院的中期选举中，将突然拥有更多的喘息空间。今年全国的政治风向本就有利于民主党，但若在弗吉尼亚州获胜，将进一步提振他们的竞选前景。
“他们以为民主党会退缩，”众议院民主党领袖哈基姆·杰弗里斯在竞选最后阶段的一场集会上对支持者说，“好吧，我们明确表示，我们不会退缩。我们要反击。”
选举前夕，杰弗里斯告诉记者：“结果会很接近，因为弗吉尼亚州是个紫色州。”
众议院少数党领袖哈基姆·杰弗里斯（中），身旁是参议员马克·华纳和国会候选人汤姆·佩里洛，4月11日在弗吉尼亚州夏洛茨维尔举行的“弗吉尼亚人支持公平选举”集会上发言。
比尔·克拉克/CQ-滚呼公司/盖蒂图片社
杰弗里斯一直是弗吉尼亚州民主党战略的核心人物，该计划长期以来令该州一些民主党领导人担忧，认为可能过于激进。他周一的言论凸显出民主党人对这场特别选举的谨慎态度——他们正在降低对选举的预期。这场选举距离去年秋天民主党以15个百分点的优势横扫弗吉尼亚州州长选举仅五个月。
但如果民主党在11月的选举中获胜，杰弗里斯将是最大的受益者——他很可能成为众议院议长，这一点他很少提及，但他的共和党对手却一再提及。
“你想看到哈基姆·杰弗里斯担任议长吗？”众议院议长迈克·约翰逊在一场集会上团结共和党人反对公投时说道，他警告共和党可能在明年失去众议院多数席位，试图以此激发选民的反对情绪。
特朗普、奥巴马影响力巨大
前总统特朗普是这场竞选的主导因素，但同时又几乎缺位。
除了选举前夕的一场电话集会，特朗普几乎没有亲自参与共和党敦促弗吉尼亚州选民投反对票的竞选活动。
“整个国家都在关注这场公投，他们的做法极其重要且不公，”特朗普在周一晚间的简短讲话中说道，“我们需要每一位弗吉尼亚州爱国者出门投票反对，坚决反对激进民主党人这不公平的投票公投。”
然而，特朗普在民主党一方却扮演了核心角色，他的名字被反复提及，以激发特朗普批评者的热情。
“投赞成票将阻止唐纳德·特朗普操纵中期选举的阴谋，”弗吉尼亚州民主党众议员詹妮弗·麦克莱伦在里士满的一场集会上告诉支持者，“投赞成票将阻止‘让美国再次伟大’运动的权力攫取。”
4月17日，唐纳德·特朗普总统在亚利桑那州凤凰城梦想城市教堂举行的“筑起红色墙”转折点美国集会上发表讲话。
吉姆·沃森/法新社/盖蒂图片社
距离中期选举仅剩六个多月，周二的选举结果可能会提供新线索，揭示特朗普更能激励哪一方的选民——共和党还是民主党。
前总统巴拉克·奥巴马也在弗吉尼亚州竞选中扮演了核心角色——双方的广告中都出现了他的身影。民主党呼吁他出面动员民主党基础选民，而共和党则抓住他此前反对党派操纵选区划分的言论大做文章。
【CNN正在直播】为何党派操纵选区划分的情况愈演愈烈
“投赞成票，你就能反击共和党人试图在中期选举中为自己谋取不公平优势的行为，”奥巴马在周五发布的一段视频中说道，其助手称这段视频旨在澄清任何误解，“投赞成票，你就能采取临时措施，打造公平竞争的环境。”
反对重划选区的团体则在电视广告和邮件中使用了奥巴马过去对党派操纵选区划分的批评，包括这段针对无党派选民的言论：“因为诸如政治党派操纵选区划分之类的事情，我们两党之间的分歧越来越大，找到共同点也越来越难。”
关乎全国影响，但亦是本地选举
鉴于众议院共和党多数席位狭窄，且近一年来全国各地都在进行重划选区斗争，弗吉尼亚州公投的全国影响显而易见。
但这场竞选也可能取决于更多地方性议题，比如伍德斯托克的塔拉·鲍曼这样的农村选民的关切。她住在距离华盛顿郊区费尔法克斯和麦克莱恩约90分钟车程的地方，完全不想和这些地区的选民共享一位国会议员。
“我认为新的选区划分方案简直糟透了，”鲍曼说，“我不想我的国会议员来自费尔法克斯。绝对不想，绝对不想。”
为了在该州国会代表团中实现10比1的优势，弗吉尼亚州民主党提出了新的选区划分方案：将北弗吉尼亚州和里士满周边的深蓝选区拆分，同时在蓝岭山脉沿线创建一个连接多个大学城的新选区。
周二投票的宪法修正案将允许议员在11月选举前重新划分该州国会选区，并在2031年下一次人口普查后，将选区划分权交还给重划选区委员会。
如果选民否决这项公投，目前民主党占6席、共和党占5席的现有选区划分方案将继续有效——相关席位的竞选活动将正式启动。
尽管这场竞选笼罩着种种全国性影响，包括哪个政党应在11月控制国会的问题，但周二选民做出的决定，其实更贴近他们的日常生活。
CNN记者大卫·赖特对本文亦有贡献。
Virginia voters to decide on new House map with major midterm implications
2026-04-21T09:00:56.359Z / CNN
By Jeff Zeleny
2 hr ago
PUBLISHED Apr 21, 2026, 5:00 AM ET
A voter casts a ballot during early voting for the Virginia redistricting referendum, at a polling place in Burke, Virginia, on April 17.
Alex Wong/Getty Images
Virginia is the latest front in an unprecedented coast-to-coast redistricting war, with voters on Tuesday set to determine whether to accept or reject a Democratic plan to dramatically redraw the state’s congressional maps and help shape the midterm elections.
Nearly 1.4 million Virginians have already cast early ballots, a sign of remarkable interest for an April special election. The final day of voting is Tuesday, with polls open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET, on a plan that could help Democrats win 10 of the state’s 11 congressional districts – a major shift from the current balance of six seats held by Democrats and five by Republicans.
“We didn’t start this fight, but I’m saying to Virginia, we need to finish it,” Delores McQuinn, a Democratic member of the House of Delegates, told CNN at a rally in the final days of the redistricting campaign. “We can help level the playing field.”
Virginia is one of the final chapters in a redistricting arms race that President Donald Trump started last year in Texas when he said Republicans were “entitled to five more seats.” California Democrats responded, along with a handful of other states, in a tit-for-tat that has ultimately yielded nine more Republican-friendly seats and six that favor Democrats.
“What’s happening now is the most blatant power grab that has ever been demonstrated,” said Glenn Youngkin, a former Virginia governor and a leading Republican voice against the measure, who avoided mention of how Texas kicked off the rare mid-decade redistricting fight.
Democrats have raised more than twice as much money than Republicans in the closely watched contest that could help determine which party controls Congress after the fall elections. On advertising alone, Democrats have spent $55 million, according to AdImpact, compared to $23 million for Republicans.
Despite the wide disparity, Democrats acknowledge that victory is far from certain, saying turnout on Election Day will be critical. Republicans share that sentiment and believe creating a 10-1 advantage for Democrats is at odds with the electorate in a state former Vice President Kamala Harris won with nearly 52% of the vote in 2024.
Here are a few dynamics at play – for Virginia and the nation.
High stakes for Democrats
For Democrats, the stakes in Virginia are remarkably high. So, too, are the rewards.
If the referendum succeeds Tuesday night, the party suddenly has more breathing room in its quest to win control of the US House in the midterm elections. The national political winds already favor Democrats this year, but a Virginia victory would super-charge their prospects.
“They thought that Democrats were going to step back,” House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries told supporters during a rally in the final days of the campaign. “Well, we’re making clear we’re not here to step back. We’re here to fight back.”
On the eve of the election, Jeffries told reporters: “It’s gonna be close because Virginia is a purple state.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, center, flanked by Sen. Mark Warner and Congressional candidate Tom Perriello, speaks at the Virginians for Fair Elections rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, on April 11.
Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc./Getty Images
Jeffries has been at the center of the Democratic strategy in Virginia, a plan that has long worried some state party leaders as a potential overreach. His comments Monday underscore how cautiously Democrats are eyeing — and lowering expectations for — the special election, which comes five months after the party swept the Virginia governor’s race by 15 percentage points last fall.
But if Democrats win in November, Jeffries stands the most to gain – likely becoming House Speaker, a fact he rarely mentions, but one that his Republican rivals point out again and again.
“Do you want to see Speaker Hakeem Jeffries?” Speaker Mike Johnson said as he rallied Republican opposition to the referendum, trying to use Jeffries as a motivating force by sounding the alarm about the prospect of the GOP losing its majority next year.
Trump, Obama loom large
The president has been a dominating factor in the race, but nearly an absent one.
Aside from a tele-rally on the eve of the election, Trump played little hands-on role in the GOP campaign urging Virginians to vote against the referendum.
“The whole country is watching it’s so important and so unfair what they’ve done,” Trump said in brief remarks Monday evening. “We need every Virginia patriot to get out and vote no, no, no on the radical Democrats’ unfair ballot referendum.”
Yet he played a central part on the Democratic side, with his name repeatedly invoked to raise enthusiasm among Trump critics.
“Voting yes will stop Donald Trump’s scheme to rig the midterm elections,” Rep. Jennifer McClellan, a Virginia Democrat, told supporters at a rally in Richmond. “Voting yes will stop the MAGA power grab.”
President Donald Trump addresses a Turning Point USA event entitled “Build the Red Wall” at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17.
Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images
With the midterm elections a little more than six months away, Tuesday’s outcome could offer fresh clues for which side Trump motivates more – Republicans or Democrats.
Former President Barack Obama has also been at the center of the Virginia race – featured in ads on both sides – as Democrats have called on him to rally the party’s base even as Republicans have seized on his previous comments speaking against gerrymandering.
streaming now CNN Why gerrymandering is getting worse
“By voting yes, you can push back against the Republicans trying to give themselves an unfair advantage in the midterms,” Obama said in a video released Friday, which aides said was intended to clear up any confusion. “By voting yes, you can take a temporary step to level the playing field.”
Groups opposing the redistricting effort have featured some of Obama’s past criticisms of gerrymandering, including this sentiment aimed at independent voters in TV ads and mailers: “Because of things like political gerrymandering, our parties have moved further and further apart and it’s harder and harder to find common ground.”
National implications, but local elections
The national implications of the Virginia referendum are clear, given the narrow GOP majority in the House and the redistricting battle playing out across the country for nearly a year.
But the race could also hinge on far more local concerns, including those of rural voters like Tara Bowman of Woodstock. She lives about 90 minutes away from the Washington suburbs of Fairfax and McLean, with whom she has no interest in sharing a member of Congress.
“I think the new map is absolutely horrible,” Bowman said. “I do not want my congressman to be from Fairfax. No, no, no, no.”
To produce a 10-1 advantage in the state’s congressional delegation, Virginia Democrats are proposing a new map that would carve up deep blue districts in northern Virginia and around Richmond, while creating a new district along the Blue Ridge Mountains that connects several college towns.
The constitutional amendment on the ballot Tuesday would allow lawmakers to redraw the state’s congressional map before the November elections, returning the authority of drawing districts to a redistricting commission in 2031 following the next census.
If voters reject the referendum, the current map with its 6-to-5 split in favor of Democrats remains in place – and campaigns for those seats will begin in earnest.
For all the national implications hanging over the race, including a question of which party should control Congress in November, the decisions voters make on Tuesday will be done far closer to home.
CNN’s David Wright contributed to this report.