Virginia Republicans contend that state Democrats are conducting a blatant power grab — the same argument Democrats use in criticizing Trump’s redistricting push — and reneging on a voter-passed amendment approved a few years ago giving authority to draw congressional lines to a bipartisan commission of slate lawmakers and citizens.

Virginia on Friday became the latest state to escalate the nationwide redistricting battle ahead of November’s midterm elections that will determine which party controls the US House during the final two years of President Donald Trump’s time in office.

The redistricting resolution sparked raucous debate among lawmakers on the merits of gerrymandering a battleground state known to have independent voters.

As Virginia lawmakers return to Richmond this week, the spotlight is on how aggressively Democrats plan to wield their newly unified power and where they'll strike first. Why it matters: The last time they held a trifecta,

Lawmakers convene in both states Wednesday with pressure to rush through new congressional maps to help Democrats retake the House of Representatives.