A judge in Virginia has blocked a scheme there by Democrats, who recently took control of the governor’s office and other parts of state government, to re-arrange the congressional districts so that Republicans would be removed from office and more Democrats would go to Washington for the state.
The ruling temporarily stops election officials from carrying out a redistricting referendum in April.
It was in response to complaints from the Republican National Committee, National Republican Congressional Committee and several GOP House members from Virginia.
It was Judge Jack Hurley Jr. of the state Circuit Court of Tazewell County who rule, for the second time, against the redistricting agenda there. Other states already have redistricted, such as Texas which set up boundary lines that are favorable to Republicans and California, which redrew lines to be favorable for Democrats, and several other states.
The goal is to be the majority in the U.S. House, now held by the GOP, after the 2026 midterms.
The judge’s latest order barred Virginia officials from taking steps toward the scheduled referendum until either March 18 or other court action.
Hurley found it was highly likely the referendum process violated commonwealth law and the state constitution, according to a report at Roll Call.
NRCC spokesman Mike Marinella called the decision a win.
“For a second time, the Virginia courts have ruled against Virginia Democrats’ partisan attempt to ignore their own Constitution and rig the system in their favor.”
An appeal of the judge’s decision is likely, because Democrats have made clear their plans to attack several Republican-held congressional seats.
But there are getting to be issues with the timing.
The lawsuit charges the referendum is illegal because it is into early voting, and it also is “misleading,” as it claims to restore “fairness.”
“If anything, it destroys fairness, is the product of unfairness and is intended to increase unfairness,” the complaint said.
Hurley earlier ruled the legislature broke its own rules in pushing the agenda, but the state’s highest court allowed the politicized move to continue.
One member of Congress being targeted, Rep. Ben Cline, said the Democrats’ plan would “disenfranchise millions of Virginia voters by reassigning them members of Congress from other parts of the [commonwealth].”
