Civil rights imagery in anti-redistricting mailers draws outrage in Virginia

By: Markus Schmidt

Outlets: Virginia Mercury

Published: March 9, 2026

Words: 1,457

Last Updated: 15 hours, 47 minutes ago

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A shadowy political action committee opposing Virginia’s April 21 redistricting referendum is facing sharp criticism after sending mailers to voters over the weekend that invoke imagery and language from the civil rights movement — a tactic voting rights advocates and state officials say distorts history and risks misleading voters.

The mailers, distributed by a group called Democracy and Justice PAC, feature black-and-white imagery reminiscent of 1960s civil rights demonstrations. One piece shows a photograph …

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