Virginia Democrats ask Supreme Court to reinstate congressional map struck down by state high court

Washington — Virginia Democrats asked the Supreme Court on Monday to restore its new voter-approved congressional map that aimed to give Democrats an edge in the upcoming midterm elections, days after it was blocked by the state’s highest court.

In a bid for emergency relief, the state Democratic leaders urged the Supreme Court to pause the Virginia high court’s decision, arguing that it was “deeply mistaken” on issues of federal law. They called the Supreme Court of Virginia’s ruling Friday “judicial defiance of the commonwealth’s Constitution” and state statutes that established new congressional district lines to be used in the 2026 elections.

“By forcing the Commonwealth to conduct its congressional elections using districts different from those adopted by the General Assembly pursuant to a constitutional amendment the people just ratified, the Supreme Court of Virginia has deprived voters, candidates, and the Commonwealth of their right to the lawfully enacted congressional districts,” they wrote in their filing.

Virginia is one of several states to undergo a mid-decade redistricting after Texas reconfigured its House district lines at President Trump’s urging last year. California, North Carolina, Missouri and Florida have since followed suit. The Supreme Court allowed Texas and California to each use the new congressional voting boundaries for this year’s House elections. Texas’ new map is expected to net Republicans five seats, while California’s is set to net Democrats five seats.

In Virginia, voters approved a ballot measure last month that paved the way for the state legislature to adopt a new map that would give Democrats an advantage in 10 House districts and leave just one safe Republican seat. Virginia’s congressional delegation is currently composed of six Democratic lawmakers and five Republicans.

But on Friday, the Supreme Court of Virginia blocked the redistricting plan from taking effect, finding that the legislative process used by Virginia Democrats to place the constitutional amendment on the ballot violated the state constitution.

Lawyers for state Democratic leaders said in the wake of the decision that they planned to file an emergency appeal with the Supreme Court. But it’s unlikely the nation’s highest court will get involved, as it typically does not review state supreme courts’ interpretations of their constitutions.

The ruling by the Supreme Court of Virginia was a significant blow to Democrats’ efforts to counter the Republican push to redraw congressional maps and increase their chances of winning the House in November.

The redistricting efforts were scrambled further after the Supreme Court issued a highly anticipated ruling late last month that weakened the Voting Rights Act. On the heels of that decision, which invalidated Louisiana’s congressional map, Republicans in some Southern states are working to recraft House districts held by Democrats.