U.S. Representative Ben Cline said on April 28 that the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact represents an attack on constitutional principles, following Governor Spanberger’s approval of legislation entering Virginia into the agreement.
The issue concerns how Virginia will allocate its 13 electoral votes in future presidential elections, shifting from awarding them based on state results to assigning them to the national popular vote winner. The move has prompted debate over state sovereignty and the influence of larger states in determining election outcomes.
Cline issued his statement in a post on X as reported in direct response to Governor Spanberger signing the bill that enters Virginia into the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact. The legislation approved by the governor changes how the commonwealth’s electoral votes would be awarded in future presidential contests by committing them to the candidate who wins the most votes across the country regardless of the outcome within Virginia itself. The move follows passage of the bill through both chambers of the General Assembly, according to Cline’s post on X.
“Governor Spanberger just signed away the voices of millions of Virginians. The National Popular Vote Compact is an assault on the Constitution that would allow voters in California and New York to override Virginians in electing our next president,” Cline said, according to his statement posted online.
Virginia holds 13 electoral votes that would be reassigned under the compact to reflect the national popular vote winner. The commonwealth has not supported a Republican presidential candidate since the early 2000s and frequently aligns with Democratic nominees in recent cycles. Cline represents the Sixth Congressional District which includes portions of the Shenandoah Valley and central Virginia communities that have historically favored candidates emphasizing state sovereignty and constitutional originalism, according to legislative records.
The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact has been joined by 18 states plus the District of Columbia for a combined total of 222 electoral votes. Activation of the agreement requires agreement among jurisdictions controlling at least 270 electoral votes. Participating states agree to award all of their electoral votes to the presidential ticket receiving the most popular votes nationwide once this threshold is met, as reported by NPR.
Cline has served in Congress since 2019 after eight terms in Virginia’s House of Delegates where he advocated for limited government and fiscal responsibility. He sits on several committees including Judiciary, Appropriations, Intelligence, and Budget while also belonging to the Freedom Caucus. He earned degrees from Bates College and University of Richmond before practicing law in Virginia, according to his official biography.
