Talking redistricting on NBC12 (WWBT) tonight

Richmond viewers should be able to see me talking redistricting with NBC12's Kelly Avellino Tuesday night at 11pm. Why? A federal court invalidated the state's 2012 redistricting plan today, thanks to the oddly-shaped 3rd district (according to ThinkProgress, one of the most "aggressive gerrymanders in the country").

Assuming any appeals fail, the General Assembly will have to try again next year. This does NOT affect the 2014 elections, but could become a big issue next year, when any plan would have to be approved by the Governor to avoid a veto.

One point I wasn't able to get to in my interview is the continuing nationalization of local elections. The lawsuit that led to today's court decision was led by a lawyer for the National Democratic Redistricting Trust, a group of Democratic operatives behind similar suits in other states. In a year in which key Senate elections are being pitched as a national battle over control of the Senate, it seems like national issues are more and more driving what's going on in the states.

UPDATE (Wed. morn): video now available (but not embeddable, sorry) here, and also at this link (with story).