A Georgia Republican Congressman Pushes To Reverse 1846 Law To Cut Democratic Power In Virginia

A Republican proposal to reshape the map of the nation's capital is gaining attention after a major political setback in Virginia, where a referendum approved a new redistricting plan is expected to strengthen Democrats' hold on the state's congressional delegation.

The idea, branded the "Make D.C. Square Again Act," was introduced by Rep. Rich McCormick, a Georgia Republican, in response to a Virginia referendum that could shift as many as four U.S. House seats toward Democrats ahead of the 2026 midterms.

The bill would attempt to reverse an 1846 decision that returned parts of Washington, D.C., specifically what are now Arlington County and the city of Alexandria, to Virginia. By restoring the capital's original boundaries established in 1790, the proposal would effectively move a heavily Democratic-leaning region from Virginia into the District.

McCormick framed the plan as correcting a historical wrong and addressing what he described as an imbalance caused by federal workers living in Northern Virginia. But critics across the political spectrum have dismissed the idea as politically motivated and legally unrealistic.

The timing is key. Virginia voters recently approved a redistricting change that allows the state legislature to redraw congressional maps, a move expected to give Democrats a significant advantage, potentially enabling them to control 10 of the state's 11 House seats.

That shift has national implications.

With control of the U.S. House narrowly divided, even a handful of seats could determine which party holds power after the midterms. Republicans have already challenged the new map in court, and the broader fight over redistricting has become a central front in the political battle between the parties.

The D.C. proposal, however, goes far beyond traditional redistricting. If enacted, it would remove hundreds of thousands of residents from Virginia's electorate and place them in Washington, D.C., a jurisdiction that lacks full voting representation in Congress. Critics say that would effectively strip those residents of their current voting power in federal elections.

Democratic Rep. Don Beyer of Virginia called the bill unconstitutional and a "waste of time," arguing that it reflects frustration over the election results rather than a serious policy proposal.

Legal experts also point to major hurdles. Reversing the nearly 180-year-old retrocession would likely require congressional approval, face constitutional challenges, and encounter strong opposition from local governments and residents in Northern Virginia.

The debate also revives a long-running conversation about Washington, D.C.'s political status. For years, Democrats have pushed for D.C. statehood to give its residents full representation, while other proposals have suggested returning parts of the city to Maryland. The current Republican plan takes a different approach, but it highlights the same unresolved issue: how the capital should be represented in the federal system.