Video The gerrymander wars come to Virginia Fox News' Paul Gigot and guests Kyle Peterson and Kim Strassel examine Virginia's upcoming redistricting vote. Gov. Abigail Spanberger faces criticism for abandoning moderate positions, supporting a Democrat-favorable map, enacting new taxes, and expanding collective bargaining for unions, impacting her approval ratings. The discussion highlights voter dissatisfaction with the policy shifts.
The Virginia Supreme Court’s ruling striking down Democrats' costly redistricting push sparked an uproar on social media over the massive sum the party spent to pass the now-defunct congressional map.
Virginians for Fair Elections, the main pro-redistricting group, raised north of $64 million in support of the Democratic-friendly gerrymander that could have netted the party four GOP-held seats in November’s midterm elections. Nearly $40 million of that came from a super PAC aligned with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., who was heavily involved in the effort to redraw the state’s congressional map.
The pro-redistricting campaign outspent the opposition 10 to 1 on television ads, according to analysis from The Washington Post. But the legal challenge that Republicans helped bankroll to get the map thrown out proved more decisive.
"The funniest part about the court's ruling that Virginia’s map is unconstitutional garbage is that the Democrats burned $64M just to get it thrown out," conservative columnist Dustin Grage wrote on social media.
The Virginia redistricting map was approved narrowly by voters in a special election that the Virginia Supreme Court allowed to be held amid a legal fight over the mid-decade redistricting. (Virginia Legislative Information System)
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"Democrats incinerated nearly $70 million on an unconstitutional gerrymandering scheme in Virginia," conservative commentator Steve Guest said following the court’s ruling.
The Virginia Supreme Court ruled Friday that Virginia Democrats violated the state constitution by fast-tracking the gerrymander referendum before voters, who narrowly approved the measure earlier this year.
The court’s decision is a major setback for Democrats’ efforts to flip control of the House of Representatives in November’s midterm elections. Though the party made gains in California with a Democratic-friendly gerrymander, Republicans have carved out a significant lead in the country’s redistricting race.
The GOP has redrawn maps in Texas, North Carolina, Missouri, Florida and Tennessee that could carve out roughly 10 additional seats for the party in 2026.
Republicans are also eyeing new maps in Louisiana and South Carolina among other southern states, following the Supreme Court’s decision to significantly curb the use of race in drawing electoral districts.
Jeffries ripped the court’s ruling as an "undemocratic action" designed to disenfranchise voters.
"We are exploring all options to overturn this shocking decision," he said. "No matter what it takes, House Democrats will win in November so we can help rescue this nation from the extremism being unleashed by Donald Trump and Republicans."
An outside spending group linked to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., poured nearly $40 million into the Democratic effort to get the since-defunct gerrymander approved by Virginia voters. (Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images)
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Other observers mocked Virginia state Sen. L. Louise Lucas, who championed the gerrymander under the slogan "Ten F----- One," referring to the new congressional map that would let Democrats hold 10 out of the state’s 11 congressional seats.
"You all started it and we f------ finished it," Lucas wrote on social media after Gov. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., signed the since-defeated map into law in February.
"So did Louise Lucas still 'F------ FINISH IT?'" journalist Charles Cooke wrote on social media Friday.
"Tough luck, @SenLouiseLucas - merch just got Supreme Court’d straight to the clearance rack," GOP strategist Christian Martinez wrote on social media in response to a post from Lucas promoting "Ten F----- One" shirts.
"Maybe try ‘Zero F----- Wins’ next time," Martinez added.
State Sen. L. Louise Lucas speaks on the Senate floor at the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond, Va., on March 8, 2024. (Minh Connors/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
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"I guess it's fitting that her initials are LLL," journalist Chuck Ross wrote, referring to Lucas.
The FBI raided Lucas' office on Wednesday in Portsmouth, Va., as part of an ongoing investigation. The probe is examining possible corruption related to a marijuana dispensary business she owns, sources familiar with the matter told Fox News Digital.
A spokesperson for Lucas did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
