Breaking: Virginia Supreme Court Strikes Down Democrats’ Gerrymander in Midterm Game Changer
The Virginia Supreme Court struck down a congressional redistricting ballot referendum that Democrats had advanced, ruling it violated the state constitution. In a 4-3 decision, the court said the proposed constitutional amendment was submitted to voters in an improper, unprecedented way as Virginia’s constitution requires two separate legislative votes wiht an election (with an intervening election between the votes). By the time the amendment passed the legislature, early voting in the prior election was already underway, which the court said undermined the referendum’s validity.
The ruling dealt a setback to Democrats’ hopes of gaining House seats, especially given that U.S. Supreme Court decisions have affected how districts may be drawn,prompting Republicans in multiple states to redraw maps. Virginia voters had narrowly approved the redistricting change last month, and the political debate around the decision has been intense, with dissenting justices arguing that the majority improperly treated early voting as the definition of “election.”
President Donald Trump and other Republicans praised the decision, while Virginia House of Delegates Speaker Don Scott and Democrats expressed disappointment, arguing voters had approved the plan through a legitimate election.
The Virginia Supreme Court ruled on Friday that the state’s congressional redistricting ballot referendum, passed last month, violated the state’s constitution.
The new map could have netted Democrats up to four new U.S. House seats.
The decision is a blow to the Democrats’ hope of retaking the House in the fall and comes after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last week that districts drawn based on racial preferences are unconstitutional. Republican controlled states have already begun redrawing their districts, which will likely cost the Democrats more seats.
The Virginia Supreme Court held in a 4-3 decision that Democrats “submitted a proposed constitutional amendment to Virginia voters in an unprecedented manner” that violated the state’s constitution.
The constitution requires that an amendment be approved by two separate votes of the legislature, with an election between the votes. Early voting in last fall’s election was already underway when the proposed amendment passed the legislature.
“This violation irreparably undermines the integrity of the resulting referendum vote and renders it null and void,” the justices concluded.
The ruling is on the basis I predicted: failure of the Va. Gen. Assembly to pass its proposed gerrymandering amendment on both sides of an intervening election.
Still reading… https://t.co/szeEHuaes7
— Ken Cuccinelli II (@KenCuccinelli) May 8, 2026
Virginians voted last month, approximately 51.7 percent to 48.3 percent, to permit redrawn congressional districts, taking the current party breakdown from a 6-5 split to a potential 10-1 Democratic Party advantage.
5 districts in Virginia now start in this circle…
Tentacles from DC reaching across the state. pic.twitter.com/Ek4InrNcxl
— Geiger Capital (@Geiger_Capital) April 22, 2026
Justices writing in the dissent argued, “[T]oday the majority has broadened the meaning of the word ‘election,’ as used in the Virginia Constitution, to include the early voting period. This is in direct conflict with how both Virginia and federal law define an election.”
President Donald Trump responded to the ruling, posting on , “Huge win for the Republican Party, and America, in Virginia. The Virginia Supreme Court has just struck down the Democrats’ horrible gerrymander.”
𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗱 𝗝. 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗽 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝟱.𝟬𝟴.𝟮𝟲 𝟭𝟬:𝟱𝟮 𝗔𝗠 𝗘𝗦𝗧
`Huge win for the Republican Party, and America, in Virginia. The Virginia Supreme Court has just struck down the Democrats’ horrible gerrymander. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! President DONALD…
— Commentary Donald J. Trump Posts From (@TrumpDailyPosts) May 8, 2026
In a statement, Virginia House of Delegates Speaker Don Scott, a Democrat, expressed disappointment and frustration in the ruling, Politico reported.
“Three million people voted in a free and fair election,” said Scott. He continued “We gave this decision to the voters — exactly where it belongs — and they spoke loud and clear. They voted YES because they wanted to fight back against the Trump power grab.”
Former Virginia Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin posted on social media after the ruling, “Justice has been served. From the beginning, this was the most obvious violation of Virginia’s Constitution. Abigail Spanberger and Democrats in Richmond knowingly violated our constitution to disenfranchise millions of Virginians.”
Justice has been served. From the beginning, this was the most obvious violation of Virginia’s Constitution. Abigail Spanberger and Democrats in Richmond knowingly violated our constitution to disenfranchise millions of Virginians.
The Constitution prevailed, and Virginians will… https://t.co/WkoEwhMPOH
— Glenn Youngkin (@GlennYoungkin) May 8, 2026
Politico noted that nationwide, “In a maximalist scenario, Republicans could net more than 10 seats from redrawn lines alone — with several Southern states in the midst of redrawing their own districts following a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that gutted much of the Voting Rights Act.”
Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.
" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
