The Supreme Court rejected a bid by Virginia Democrats to revive a voter-approved congressional map for this year’s midterm elections, leaving in place a Virginia Supreme Court ruling that found legal flaws in the referendum process.
The Supreme Court on Friday refused to revive a new congressional map Virginia Democrats had urged for this year’s midterm elections—closing the door on a fight that had always depended on a technicality under state law.
The brief decision came with no dissents, allowing a prior ruling by the Virginia Supreme Court to stand.. That earlier decision found legal flaws in the process leading up to the referendum.. The effort had already weakened in recent days: Democratic Gov.. Abigail Spanberger said Wednesday that the deadline to use a new map in Virginia had expired.
The map at the center of the dispute had been designed to maximize Democratic-leaning congressional districts and was approved by voters.. It was part of the broader redistricting battles that have swept the country. intensified when President Donald Trump called on Texas to draw a map more favorable to Republicans.
If Virginia’s new map had been used, Democrats could have gained up to four additional districts in a state that has 11 total. Under the current map, there are six Democrats and five Republicans.
The legal fight turned on a technical legal question under Virginia law. While the U.S. Supreme Court lacks authority to hear cases rooted purely in state-law issues, Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones had argued in court papers that the state court decision implicated federal law as well.
The pattern was tight: the Virginia Supreme Court found legal flaws in the steps leading to the referendum. the deadline for using any new map passed after the fight narrowed. and Friday’s Supreme Court refusal left the existing map in place—meaning the potential for up to four additional Democratic districts never reached the ballot.
Supreme Court Virginia Democrats congressional map redistricting Abigail Spanberger Jay Jones midterm elections voter-approved referendum