VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — As expected, Virginia democratic lawmakers aren't letting a court ruling stop them from trying to redraw the state's congressional districts.
"Today, we followed through on our commitment to appeal the Tazewell ruling. This decision was legally flawed, unprecedented, and the product of court-shopping designed to block Virginians from voting on their own Constitution," Virginia Speaker of the House Don Scott said in a statement announcing lawmakers have filed a notice of appeal. "We remain confident we will prevail, and we will continue moving forward to put this question directly to the voters – where it belongs.”
Tuesday, the day the court ruling was made, Virginia Congresswoman Jen Kiggans, who represents part of Hampton Roads, commented on redistricting efforts. Her district is one democrats are targeting with their redistricting effort.
In a tweet, Kiggans said, "Virginia democrats know they can't beat me at the ballot box in November so they are moving to gerrymander our congressional districts before the election…!”
🚨 BREAKING 🚨
Virginia democrats know they can't beat me at the ballot box in November so they are moving to gerrymander our congressional districts before the election...! https://t.co/CPTtkTI5WE— Jen Kiggans (@JenKiggans) January 27, 2026
News 3 reached out to her office for an interview but did not get a response by my deadline.
On Tuesday, a judge in Tazewell County, Virginia ruled the democratic legislators’ redistricting effort can’t move forward because they didn’t follow the right process.
“It will be appealed, and more than likely what will happen, I
believe, is it will go to the voters, voters will vote on it, and then you’ll get discussion around the constitutionality of it," said political analyst Dr. Eric Claville.
Watch: Redistricting, marijuana sales, minimum wage on Va. Dems' slate as Spanberger takes office in 2026
Claville said this fight will likely end up at the Virginia and U.S. Supreme Court.
“This is uncharted waters. I believe that this U.S. Supreme Court will rely upon state actions because it is a heavy 6-3 state’s rights court. So I believe that if the state itself approves it, and if state legislators go through the process for it to be approved, I do believe that it will stand," Claville explained.
In a statement, Virginians for Fair Elections, a group based in Williamsburg, calls the ruling an attempt to confuse voters and says “Republicans court-shopped for a ruling because litigation and misinformation are the only tools they have left.”
“We expect that this ruling will be immediately appealed. This is a clear attempt to confuse voters and block them from having a say. Republicans court-shopped for a ruling because litigation and misinformation are the only tools they have left. We’re prepared for what comes next, and Virginians deserve both the right to vote and the chance to level the playing field.”
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, a national group, also issued a statement, saying the ruling has no constitutional basis and is “...a desperate attempt to keep electoral power out of the hands of Virginia voters.”
“This rogue decision is a disappointing, but temporary setback issued by a lower court that will be immediately appealed - where we’re confident it will be overturned. The order issued today has no constitutional basis, but is instead a desperate attempt to keep electoral power out of the hands of Virginia voters.
The law is clear. Virginians may amend their constitution, and the General Assembly voted to give Virginians the chance to pass a temporary measure in order to guarantee fairness and ensure their voices are not diminished due to Republican mid-cycle gerrymandering in states like Texas, Missouri, North Carolina, and Florida.
Virginians deserve the opportunity to decide for themselves who represents them, and when it’s all said and done, that is the question that will be put before the voters this year.”
Virginians for Fair Maps, a group led by republican state legislators, says the ruling is a decisive victory for the rule of law and Virginia voters. It goes on to say, “This case was never about partisanship. It was about process, fairness, and the simple principle that you cannot change the Constitution by ignoring the Constitution.”
As of Wednesday, democrats were trying to call a special election in April for voters to decide whether districts should be re-drawn.
