Virginia Democrats formally requested the US Supreme Court block an order from the state’s highest court invalidating the referendum that cleared the way for aggressive gerrymandering.
In a long-shot bid to mitigate their redistricting wounds, Democrats argued that the Virginia Supreme Court’s decision was fundamentally flawed and overruled the will of the people.
Abigail Spanberger, governor of Virginia, speaks during a “Virginians For Fair Elections” canvassing event in Woodbridge, Virginia, on Saturday, April 18, 2026. Bloomberg via Getty Images “A stay is warranted because the decision by the Supreme Court of Virginia is deeply mistaken,” they wrote in a petition to the country’s highest court on Monday.
Democrats had hoped to use the referendum in Virginia to shift from a congressional map that has led to a 6–5 Democrat to Republican split, in favor of one that is projected to be a 10-1 split.
Due to the legal setback in Virginia and the US Supreme Court’s decision on Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, Democrats now appeared to be losing the rare mid-decade redistricting battle.
