Oliver Anthony came out of nowhere in 2023 with his hauntingly homespun hit “Rich Men North of Richmond,” which laments the power and control that the professional and industrial northern classes have over the rural south. In Virginia’s ongoing congressional redistricting battle, Anthony’s ballad is coming to life.
On April 21, in a special election to change the commonwealth constitution, Democrats from the wealthy north of Virginia are set to disenfranchise the poorer south, changing the congressional map from a 6-5 Democratic advantage, to a distinctly undemocratic 10-1 domination of the delegation.
David, who lives in Windsor and works part time in the Williamsburg area on construction, told me he feels powerless.
“It just feels like Democrats control everything now, and nobody’s fighting back,” he told me. “I only ever see vote yes ads on TV.”
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He has a point. Windsor is south of Richmond, and the real power in the commonwealth is increasingly in the hands of the very wealthy, very blue counties of Virginia north of Richmond, leaving the poorer denizens of the southern counties out of luck.
Some people are fighting back, though.
Finishing a meal at Craft 41, a nice midrange restaurant outside of Williamsburg, my son gestured to the parking lot. Over my shoulder, I saw someone putting a “Vote No,” sign in the windshield as if it was a sun protector.
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A couple who looked to be in their late 70s walked in, both in American flag sweaters. They were seated as I paid our check, and while it won’t make my boss happy, well, I didn’t have the heart to interrupt their lovely meal together by quizzing them on politics.
It turns out, I didn’t have to, because their message was literally painted on the side of their vehicle, one part reading:
“Redistricting ignores over 1/3rd of Virginia voters.”
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It also blared this damning quote, “Gerrymandering is detrimental to our democracy,” a quote from none other than current Virginia Democrat Gov. Abigail Spanberger.
As I fired the ignition on my Lancer, I said to my son, “The Virginia GOP has more money than God, and yet those two folks have crafted the best political messaging I have seen in this whole race.”
Just as in last year’s gubernatorial race, the Virginia Republican Party, and I’ll throw in the national GOP, have been flat-footed, ineffective and worse, more interested in the rich men north of Richmond than the plain folks of the south and west of the state.
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Over the past two weeks, the GOP and much of the conservative media have been focused on NOVA – as northern Virginia is known – issues, such as taxes on the wealthy or on the services used by the wealthy. It’s not a winning strategy.
If Republicans want to snatch a late-game victory in Virginia, they have to understand that this is a class war, not a policy fight. It is the loafer and cardigan set sticking it to the men and women with callouses on their hands and stealing their votes.
Part of the problem is that the leadership of the Virginia GOP also happen to be big fans of loafers and cardigans, and what they do not have is an Oliver Anthony who can speak for the forgotten working class, for the farmers, and for the patriots.
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There is also a racial aspect to all of this, because if any political party tried the wholesale disenfranchisement of poor Black or Hispanic people, the way poor White people are clearly being treated here, it would be a national scandal.
Maybe part of the reason I couldn’t muster the courage to go talk to the older couple at the restaurant was that I think they are going to lose, and I did not relish the idea of saying that to them.
But at least they aren’t going down without a fight, which is more than I can say so far of the state and national GOP.
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In his song, Oliver Anthony sings;
“Livin’ in the new world with an old soul
These rich men north of Richmond
Lord, knows they all just wanna have total control.”
Well, it’s not just a song anymore, it’s real life. And on April 21, it is set to steal the voting power of the poor men south of Richmond.
If there is any chance to stop it, then this must be the message and it must be very loud.
