Virginia Supreme Court Strikes Down Voter-Approved Congressional Redistricting Plan

The Virginia Supreme Court has struck down a new congressional redistricting plan that was approved by 3 million voters in a special election, ruling that Democrats in the General Assembly rushed the amendment through too quickly.

In a 4-3 party line ruling, the court found that the issue was not with voters but with the legislature’s process. “Never before in over 60 different instances has the Virginia General Assembly passed a proposed amendment while Virginians were voting,” a spokesperson said. “This was unprecedented.”

As a result, Virginians will vote this November on the existing congressional maps, which feature 11 districts with a 6-5 advantage in favor of Democrats. Democrats had hoped the new maps would flip four seats.

Virginia Democrats filed a motion to appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court. Experts say an appeal is a long shot.

“Our democracy is endangered in America right now,” a Democratic spokesperson said. “We were concerned that Virginia needs to do its part to make sure that Congress can act as an independent branch of government, because right now, Congress has become Trump’s lapdog.”

President Trump called the developments “a huge win for the Republican Party and America.”

Republicans can gain as many as 14 seats from redrawn maps across six states. Alabama Republicans passed a bill to create a new congressional map just 11 days before their primary.

“The message that it’s sending, unfortunately to voters, is that their voice doesn’t count,” a Democratic representative said.

The ruling caps a difficult week for Virginia Democrats, who have seen the Department of Justice launch an investigation into the Fairfax County prosecutor and an FBI raid executed on the business and political office of State Senator Louise Lucas.

“This has been a difficult week for Virginia Democrats,” a party spokesperson said. “He made it clear that he was going to target the states that didn’t vote for him. And he’s doing everything he can to hurt our state. It started with the firing of the federal workers, and then he went after a bunch of different grants. He tried to cancel our wind project. Now he’s after different elected officials that dare to mouth off to him. It’s almost like the McCarthy era again, but even worse.”

A spokesperson added: “I’m not judging what other states are doing pro or con, but this is Virginia and this is the Virginia way.”

Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger said she is responding to the ruling.