The US Supreme Court rejected a bid by Virginia Democrats to restore a voter-approved congressional map that was designed to potentially flip four Republican-held House seats in the November elections. The decision leaves in place a Virginia Supreme Court ruling which concluded that the process of placing the amendment on the ballot was flawed, as the Democratic-controlled legislature improperly began the process after early voting had already started.
This order is the latest development in a nationwide mid-decade redistricting competition. The struggle began last year after Donald Trump urged Republican-controlled states to redraw their lines and was further impacted by a Supreme Court ruling weakening the Voting Rights Act, which opened more winnable seats for the GOP. In recent days, the justices have also sided with Republicans in Alabama and Louisiana who hope to redo their congressional maps to produce more GOP-leaning seats.
Virginia's amendment had been intended to blunt a new map in Florida and respond to Republican gains in Texas, Missouri, North Carolina, and Ohio. While some Democratic leaders argued it was not yet too late for the high court to intervene, the office of Governor Abigail Spanberger confirmed that the state will hold this year's elections under the districts established in 2021. Commissioner of Elections Steve Koski had previously stated that a court order was needed by a specific Tuesday to set district lines for the August 4 primary elections.
The decision preserves a significant win for Republicans in the redistricting fight ahead of the midterms. However, Democrats may use the court's rejection of their bid, alongside its blessing of Republican efforts in Alabama and Louisiana, in election-year messaging regarding a partisan Supreme Court.