Virginia court strikes down redistricting referendum in major win for GOP ahead of midterms

In a blow to Democrats ahead of the midterm elections, the Virginia Supreme Court overturned an elected referendum that would have allowed them to redraw the state's congressional map. The new map, which was narrowly approved after a statewide vote, would have given Democrats control over 10 of the state's 11 districts. In a 4-3 decision, the court said that the voting process was done in "an unprecedented manner," as per a New York Times report.

"This violation irreparably undermines the integrity of the resulting referendum vote and renders it null and void," the court observed. Democrats were in a celebratory mood when the referendum was approved, but it did not take long for the GOP to appeal its legality in the Supreme Court. The decision will be a big win for the Republicans, who could have had the deck stacked against them come November's midterms.

"Early Virginia voters unknowingly forfeited their constitutionally protected opportunity to vote for or against delegates who favor or disfavor amending the Constitution by not anticipating a legislative vote on a constitutional amendment four days before the last day of voting," the court's majority wrote in the ruling. President Donald Trump called it a "huge win" for his party in a Truth Social Post.

Democratic Senator Tim Kaine said that the goal was now to win on the pre-existing maps. "Unlike GOP-led states that redrew their congressional maps in backroom deals, Virginia let the people decide. But the Virginia Supreme Court has blocked the people's choice. So we have to campaign and win on their maps. We can do it!" he wrote in a post on X. 

In a subsequent statement, the Virginia Senator questioned the timing of the ruling as it came after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to limit the Voting Rights Act. "Virginia voters choose to stand up against national disenfranchisement only to see their votes cast into the trash by a 4-3 ruling," the statement read. Both rulings have benefited the GOP ahead of November's election.

Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones criticized the ruling as he posted that the court had "put politics over the rule of law." "The Republican-led majority of the Supreme Court of Virginia contorted the plain language of the Constitution and Code of Virginia to give it a meaning that was never intended, which allowed them to reach the wrong legal conclusion that fit their political agenda. The consequences of their error are grave," he said in a statement. California Governor Gavin Newsom claimed that MAGA had "rigged the system."

J.P. Cooney, a Democratic candidate running for the House from Virginia's seventh district, said that the Supreme Court had "invalidated" a "fair election referendum." While he was going to accept the court's decision, he said that nothing was going to stop him from "continuing to stand up to Donald Trump, and standing for the rule of law."