The Virginia Supreme Court issued an earth-shattering rebuke to Democrats for hastily removing all but one Republican from the Old Dominion’s congressional delegation, a decision that vindicated critics of the plan as the lead plaintiff in the case told Fox News Digital that Republicans erupted in jubilation and derision.
The Virginia Supreme Court ruled 4-3 to invalidate Democrats’ major redistricting effort, with Justice D. Arthur Kelsey singling out Attorney General Jay Jones and saying the Democratic-led Legislature’s failure to properly follow state law (including an “election interference” provision) in the redistricting amendment schedule was the cause, not politics or which party won the popular vote in April.
Celebrations broke out almost immediately, with Republicans and “vote no” supporters deriding the alleged architect of gerrymandering, Senate President Pro Tempore Lilly Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, whose office and marijuana dispensary were raided by the FBI earlier this week.
Former Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, a Republican who led the fight against redistricting along with former Attorney General Jason Miyares, celebrated the decision with a firestorm of analysis on Twitter shortly after it was made.
Virginia court declares state’s redistricting vote unconstitutional, giving Republicans a legal victory
Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger speaks during the Virginia Fair Elections canvass on April 18, 2026 in Woodbridge, Virginia.
(Getty Images)
Cuccinelli mocked Lucas, who has frequently launched profane attacks on redistricting critics like Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, and painted the Virginia Republican delegation as future McDonald’s workers or people being yanked away from potential chairmanships.
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“By the way [by the way] The vote was 4-3, and Senator Lucas might sell a “4 f’in 3” T-shirt, or maybe a 6-f’in-5 T-shirt. “
“The court explained its decision not to intervene before the referendum, citing an exchange with Justice Russell at the beginning of oral arguments on the outcome (i.e., “yes” won by 3 points), in which [Jones’] Lawyer admits outcome doesn’t matter,” Cuccinelli added in one of multiple tweets.
Gov. Abigail Spanberger, who supported the referendum, condemned the ruling and President Donald Trump in a statement to Fox News Digital.
“More than three million Virginians voted in Virginia’s redistricting referendums, and a majority of Virginia voters made their voices heard by voting against the president’s claim that he had the ‘right’ to gain more Republican seats in Congress through a temporary and responsive referendum,” Spanberger said.
The Democrat, who was elected in a landslide in the 2025 election, added that she was disappointed with the news but would continue to focus on ensuring voters have “all the necessary information” to vote in November under the current map, making the election a key point in the referendum process analyzed by the state’s high court.
“[B]Because, in these elections, we the voters will have the final say,” Spanberger said.
The lead plaintiff in the case, Virginia Senate Minority Leader Ryan McDougle, a Hanover Republican, told Fox News Digital that the entire state should applaud the court.
“The Supreme Court’s ruling today confirms what we all know: You can’t violate the Constitution to change it,” McDougall told Fox News Digital.
“After carefully and thoroughly reviewing the matter, the justices of the Virginia Supreme Court confirmed that even the General Assembly must follow the law. This ruling is not a partisan ruling, but a constitutional ruling. The rule of law is the foundation of our Commonwealth, and it is upheld today.”
5 Virginia congressmen: Democrats reject voters’ gerrymandering of our state
“Every Virginian wins,” he said.
Democratic President Pro Tempore Sen. L. Louise Lucas listens during remarks in the Senate Chamber of the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond on February 18, 2026.
McDougal’s counterpart in the lower chamber, House Minority Leader Terry Kilgore of Gate City, added, “You can’t violate [state] Constitution amends the Constitution.”
“Today’s ruling once again proves the letter of the Virginia Constitution. The rule of law requires Virginians to have the opportunity to review a constitutional amendment before voting in a meaningful way on the House floor,” Kilgore told Fox News Digital.
Botetourt Rep. Ben Cline, one of the Republican members of Congress preparing to be lured out of their seats by the new maps, called the court’s ruling “the right decision.”
“It’s always going to end this way,” Klein said.
“Democrats violated the law they helped write in the first place, missed deadlines, asked biased and misleading ballot questions and lied to voters in all their ads supporting the referendum,” Klain said.
The lawmaker said voters previously decided in 2020 to create an independent commission to draw maps every ten years and prohibit “gerrymandering.”
“This is a great day for fair elections and the rule of law, and a great day for the Commonwealth of Virginia.”
Other observers pointed out that Kelsey was an appointee of Democratic Sen. Mark Warner, a former governor who supported redistricting.
Glenn Yonkin accuses Gov. Spanberger of ‘illegal and unconstitutional’ gerrymandering in Virginia map fight
Sen. Ryan McDougle of Hanover speaks on the floor of the Virginia Senate regarding proposed amendments to mid-decade redistricting during the General Assembly meeting in Richmond, Virginia, Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026.
Former Gov. Glenn Youngkin added that “justice has been served” and that Gov. Abigail Spanberger, Lucas and others “willfully violated our Constitution and disenfranchised millions of Virginians.”
“The Constitution prevails and Virginians will never forget this unlawful attempt to deny them a voice in Congress.”
Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts called the ruling a major victory for the rule of law and described the failed gerrymandering attempt as “a blatant power grab by Governor Spanberger to silence the voices of half of Virginians in Congress.”
Sen. Timothy Kaine, D-Va., however, wasn’t celebrating.
The former governor blasted the court, saying that unlike Republican-led states that used “backroom deals” to redraw maps, Richmond communicated its plans directly to voters.
“[T]Virginia Supreme Court blocks people’s choice. So we have to campaign on their map and win. We can do it,” he said.
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Fox News Digital reached out to Spanberger for comment.
It remains to be seen whether or what avenues Democrats have to seek relief from the U.S. Supreme Court.
Original source of the article: ‘Justice’: Celebrations and jeers erupt after Spanberger’s ‘gerrymandering’ bombed in major decision
