Virginia judge blocks Democrats' referendum, a blow to redistricting
effort over 4 U.S. House seats
[February 20, 2026]
By OLIVIA DIAZ
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A Virginia court on Thursday effectively blocked
Democrats’ planned April voter referendum to redraw the state’s
congressional maps, another potentially devastating blow to the party’s
effort to pick up four more U.S. House seats in the national
redistricting battle.
Virginia Democratic Attorney General Jay Jones has already vowed to
appeal the ruling by a Tazewell Circuit Court, which granted a temporary
restraining order requested by the Republican National Committee and the
National Republican Congressional Committee. The plaintiffs argue that
the ballot referendum’s timing and phrasing are illegal.
The court's decision on Thursday, while temporary, could kill the
referendum for this year if it withstands appeal. The restraining order
is in effect until March 18 and early voting is slated to start March 6.
The Republican request for a restraining order — also signed by
Republican U.S. Reps. Ben Cline and Morgan Griffith — argued that
Democrats were ramming redistricting-related bills through the
legislature despite legal hurdles that prevent such a rushed process.
In a statement, the GOP national committee said the latest ruling was “a
massive win in defending honest representation for every Virginian.”
It’s the second time Tazewell Circuit Court Judge Jack Hurley Jr. has
ruled against Democrats’ redistricting agenda. In January, he ruled that
a resolution for a constitutional amendment was illegally passed in a
special legislative session and taken up too close to an intervening
election.
That case has been appealed to the state Supreme Court, and justices had
said they would allow the referendum to proceed while they review the
appeal.
President Donald Trump launched an unusual mid-decade redistricting
battle last year by pushing Republican officials in Texas to redraw
districts to help his party win more seats. The goal was for the GOP to
hold on to a narrow House majority in the face of political headwinds
that typically favor the party out of power in midterms.
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Instead, it created a national redistricting battle. So far, Republicans
believe they can win nine more House seats in Texas, Missouri, North
Carolina and Ohio. Democrats think they can win six more seats in
California and Utah, and are hoping to fully or partially make up the
remaining three-seat margin in Virginia.
Before Thursday's ruling, Democrats had been bullish in pressing ahead
with their effort, releasing a proposed map that could give their party
four more seats in the U.S. House. The redistricting plan has since been
introduced in the legislature.
Virginia House Speaker Don Scott, a Democrat, said Thursday he was
confident the latest court order would be overturned.
“The Supreme Court of Virginia has already made clear that this matter
will go to the voters, but Republicans unhappy with that ruling went
back to their friendly judge,” Scott said in a statement that pointed
out Hurley's earlier decision.
Democrats have also tried to limit which court venues can take up such
cases. After Republicans filed their first suit in Tazewell, a
conservative area in Southwest Virginia, Democratic lawmakers passed
legislation saying legal actions related to constitutional amendments or
their elections only have one proper court venue: the Circuit Court of
the City of Richmond.
Virginia Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed the bill into law and
set the date for the redistricting referendum for April 21.
In their court filings, Republicans have said Tazewell is still the
correct venue despite the new law. Hurley agreed.
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Diaz is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America
Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national
service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on
undercovered issues.
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