A Virginia judge just threw a wrench into Democrats’ latest attempt to redraw congressional maps right before the midterms — and not a moment too soon. A temporary restraining order has halted their gerrymandering push, thanks to a lawsuit filed by the Republican National Committee.
The RNC went to court Wednesday, arguing that Virginia Democrats were attempting an unconstitutional last-minute power grab through a proposed constitutional amendment. The party asked for a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction to stop the plan. On Thursday, Jack Hurley Jr., of the Tazewell County Circuit Court, granted that request. In other words, the brakes were slammed before Democrats could redraw the political map to their liking.
As reported by Breccan Thies, the amendment’s ballot language is carefully dressed up as a plan “to restore fairness.” The actual question asks voters whether the state constitution should be amended to allow the General Assembly to temporarily adopt new congressional districts “to restore fairness” in upcoming elections, while returning to the standard process after 2030. Translation: rewrite the map now, apologize later.
According to Thies, the measure would virtually guarantee Virginia 10 Democrat seats in the U.S. House and just one Republican. Right now, the delegation includes five Republicans and six Democrats. Nearly half of Virginians — more than two million — supported Donald Trump in 2024, yet fewer than 800,000 would be properly represented under the proposed map. That’s not “fairness,” that’s political math with a very obvious answer key.
Judge Hurley had already ruled that Democrats’ effort to gerrymander ahead of November’s midterms violated state law. But in February, the Virginia Supreme Court overturned that decision, allowing Democrats to move forward. That reversal now raises the question of how long Hurley’s latest ruling will stand.
The RNC lawsuit argues that the ballot question itself is misleading and presents “an entirely different question” than what the General Assembly originally proposed. It also claims the amendment fails to tell voters that it would strip them of their constitutional right to a nonpartisan redistricting process.
Under Virginia law, constitutional amendments must be approved twice by majorities in both legislative chambers, with an election in between, before going to voters. The RNC says Democrats ignored those requirements, calling the move an “abuse of power” that tramples on the procedural rights of minority lawmakers. The suit also alleges Democrats violated the rules of the House of Delegates when pushing the measure through.
Timing is another issue. Early voting is set to begin March 6, 2026, but the lawsuit points out state law requires at least 90 days between final legislative approval and a public vote. Final passage occurred Jan. 16, meaning the earliest legal voting date would be April 16, 2026. Math still works in Virginia — even if Democrats wish it didn’t.
The RNC also challenged HB 1384 as unconstitutional because it combines multiple unrelated proposals into one bill. The Virginia Constitution says laws must cover only one object, clearly stated in the title. By cramming multiple changes into a single piece of legislation, Democrats risk rendering the entire bill null and void.
RNC Chairman Joe Gruters summed it up bluntly: Virginia Democrats are trying to ram through an illegal redistricting scheme that courts have already called an abuse of power. He accused Democrats — including Rep. Abigail Spanberger — of trying to silence voters and lock in permanent political control, despite nearly half the state backing President Trump.
For now, the court has stepped in, and the attempted power grab is on pause. The fight is far from over, but this ruling is a reminder that the Constitution still matters — and that even creative ballot language can’t hide a bad idea forever. Virginia voters deserve real representation, not rigged maps, and this decision keeps that principle alive for another day.
