NORFOLK, Va. — After months of back and forth between democrats and republicans, Virginia republicans came out on top Friday in the fight over the state’s congressional districts.
The Virginia Supreme Court ruled the state's congressional districts cannot be redrawn, despite a special election in April to decide if voters want them to be redrawn or not.
Watch: Virginia Supreme Court strikes down Democrat-led referendum on mid-decade redistricting
“We feel like the court got the decision right," Virginia Senate Minority Leader, Sen. Ryan McDougle, said Friday shortly after the court's ruling was made public. “If this is appealed to the United States Supreme Court, I think we’ll win by an even wider margin.”
Virginia democrats we're hoping to redraw congressional districts that would allow them to flip up to four seats. It's in response to republican controlled states redrawing district lines favoring their party.
In April, Virginia voters narrowly approved an amendment to change the state's lines. On Friday, the state Supreme Court said that election result isn’t valid because democrats didn’t follow proper procedure.
ODU political science professor Jesse Richman said this is likely the end of the line for the issue.
“I suspect the U.S. Supreme Court will be reluctant to intervene in a state Supreme Court interpretation of the provisions of the constitution of the state of Virginia," said Richman.
He also didn’t expect the issue to be a big factor in the general election in the fall.
Watch: Political analysts break down the Virginia redistricting referendum results
"I expect the November election will be fought more on other issues that voters have indicated they care about," Richman explained.
Friday’s ruling is particularly beneficial for republican Virginia Congresswoman Jen Kiggans. Her district covers much of Hampton Roads and would have been significantly impacted if the referendum was allowed to stand.
In a statement, she called the ruling "a victory for Virginians’ right to fair and adequate representation against the democrats attempt to unfairly grab power.”
— Jen Kiggans (@JenKiggans) May 8, 2026
Her opponent, democrat Elaine Luria, said the ruling doesn’t change anything for her.
“We will continue our campaign’s momentum into November to flip this seat,” she said.
My statement on the Virginia Supreme Court overturning the results of the redistricting referendum and the will of more than 1.6 million Virginia voters: pic.twitter.com/qNWdTcIF77
— Elaine Luria (@ElaineLuria) May 8, 2026
Don Scott, Virginia’s democratic Speaker of the House, said democrats at the state level are also not giving up.
"We will keep fighting for a democracy where voters, not politicians, have the final say,” he said in a statement Friday.
“We respect the decision of the Supreme Court of Virginia. I’m proud that Virginians came out in historic numbers, made their voices heard, and sent a message not just here at home – but across the country – to Donald Trump and his administration. Three million people voted in a free and fair election. We gave this decision to the voters – exactly where it belongs – and they spoke loud and clear. They voted YES because they wanted to fight back against the Trump power grab. That truth doesn’t change because of a court ruling. This was always about more than one election – it was about whether the voices of the people matter. And no decision can erase what Virginians made clear at the ballot box. We respect the court. But we will keep fighting for a democracy where voters – not politicians – have the final say. Because in Virginia, power still belongs to the people.”
Below are reactions from other elected officials
Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones
(2/2) This decision silences the voices of the millions of Virginians who cast their ballots in every corner of the Commonwealth, and it fuels the growing fears across our nation about the state of our democracy.
Read my full statement here: https://t.co/enp32V4Bii
— Attorney General Jay Jones (@AGJayJones) May 8, 2026
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger
More than three million Virginians cast their ballots in Virginia’s redistricting referendum, and the majority of Virginia voters voted to push back against a President who said he is ‘entitled’ to more Republican seats in Congress with a temporary and responsive referendum. They…
— Governor Abigail Spanberger (@GovernorVA) May 8, 2026
Virginia U.S. Sen. Mark Warner
Justice wasn’t served today in Virginia. We must continue to work to preserve and protect our democracy. pic.twitter.com/QBE0Wxzkvl
— Mark Warner (@MarkWarner) May 8, 2026
Virginia U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine
My statement on the Virginia Supreme Court’s ruling to overturn a free and fair constitutional amendment referendum to redraw congressional districts in Virginia: pic.twitter.com/6EtFl8R31W
— Senator Tim Kaine (@SenTimKaine) May 8, 2026
Virginia U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott
Two weeks ago, Virginia’s voters stood up to Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans’ unprecedented attempt to redraw congressional maps in the middle of the decade in an effort to rig the midterms. And now the Virginia Supreme Court has overridden the will of Virginia’s voters with…
— Rep. Bobby Scott (@BobbyScott) May 8, 2026
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