The only plausible "compromise" from a partisan perspective would be to add the part of Virginia that used to be in DC to the new state. It would make Virginia into a swing state.
I am ambivalent toward this idea (which is not something anyone seems to be suggesting anyway). If the people of Arlington want that, and the VA legislature let's them go, I won't object, but if either says no, that shouldn't derail DC statehood.
Arlington and Alexandria haven't been part of DC since the 1840s. That said, it's not an absolutely absurd idea.
However, Alexandria and Arlington rejoining DC would not turn DC into a swing state, not by a long shot. Obama still wins VA in 2012 (though it's actually close in 2012), and Clinton and Obama carry VA pretty solidly. I think the only statewide races in the last DECADE that flip under this new VA are VA Gov 2013 (McAuliffe loses by the skin of his teeth) and VA-Sen 2014 (Warner loses by about a point).
Fun fact: Adding Alexandria and Arlington to DC would raise DC's population to 1,085,815 (combining 2019 Census estimates for Alexandria and Arlington with 2020 Census actual for DC because we don't have County level exact numbers from 2020 census yet). This is a tiny smidge greater than Montana!
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