Arlington will contain just over 30 percent of the population of the reconstituted 8th Congressional District, which will remain a Democratic fortress under its new boundaries.
The Virginia Supreme Court on Dec. 28 unanimously approved new boundaries for the commonwealth’s 11 congressional districts. The 8th District, currently occupied by Democrat Don Beyer, will remain relatively compact and the most Democratic-leaning district in the commonwealth (in the 2016 presidential election, those living in the boundaries of the new district voted for Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump by a 72-percent-to-20-percent margin).
Nearly half (47.4 percent) of the population of the district as reconfigured is in Fairfax County, with Arlington totaling 30.4 percent, Alexandria 20.3 percent and Falls Church 1.9 percent.
More than 90 percent (566,000) of the residents of the new 8th lived in the old 8th, with an additional 43,000 imported from the old 11th District and 10,000 from the old 10th District.
The new districts will be used for the 2022 midterm elections. Beyer is expected to have no trouble winning a new two-year term.
Decisions on boundaries for congressional and General Assembly districts were kicked to the Virginia Supreme Court after the Virginia Redistricting Commission was unable to come to consensus on boundary lines.