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 efforts to gain four more U.S. House seats in the national redistricting battle.
Virginia’s Democratic Attorney General Jay Jones has vowed to appeal the Tazewell Circuit Court’s ruling that granted a temporary restraining order requested by the Republican National Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee. The plaintiffs argued that the timing and wording of the referendum were unlawful.
Thursday’s court decision, while tentative, could put an end to this year’s referendum if appeals fail. The restraining order is in effect until March 18, with early voting scheduled to begin on March 6.
The Republican restraining order request, also signed by Republican Reps. Ben Cline and Morgan Griffith, argued that Democrats were forcing redistricting-related bills through the Legislature despite legal obstacles preventing such a rushed process.
The Republican National Committee said in a statement that the latest ruling was “a huge victory in defense of every Virginian’s right to honest representation.”
This is the second time Tazewell Circuit Court Judge Jack Hurley Jr. has ruled against Democrats’ redistricting agenda. In January, he ruled that a constitutional amendment resolution was illegally passed during a special legislative session and was passed so close to the election.
The case has been appealed to the state Supreme Court, and the justices said they would allow the referendum to proceed while they review the appeal.
Last year, President Donald Trump launched an unusual mid-decade redistricting battle, pushing Republican officials in Texas to redraw districts to help his party win more seats. The goal is for Republicans to hold on to their slim majority in the House of Representatives in the face of political headwinds that typically help the party lose power in midterm elections.
Instead, it sparked a nationwide redistricting battle. So far, Republicans believe they can win nine more House seats in Texas, Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio. Democrats believe they can win six more seats in California and Utah and hope to fully or partially make up for their remaining three-seat advantage in Virginia.
Ahead of Thursday’s ruling, Democrats had been optimistic about moving forward with their efforts, releasing a proposed map that could give their party four more seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. A redistricting plan has since been submitted to the Legislature.
Virginia House Speaker Don Scott, a Democrat, said Thursday he was confident the latest court order would be overturned.
“The Virginia Supreme Court has made clear that this matter will be dealt with by the voters, but Republicans unhappy with this ruling are returning to their friendly justices,” Scott said in a statement pointing to Hurley’s earlier decision.
Democrats are also seeking to limit which courts can hear such cases. After Republicans filed the first lawsuit in Tazewell, a conservative district in southwest Virginia, Democratic lawmakers passed legislation that would provide only one appropriate court venue for legal actions related to constitutional amendments or elections: Richmond City Circuit Court.
Virginia Democratic Governor Abigail Spanberger signed the bill into law and set the redistricting referendum date for April 21.
Republicans said in court filings that Tazewell remains the correct venue despite the new law. Hurley agreed.
___ 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.
