OAN Staff Brooke Mallory
1:11 PM – Friday, May 8, 2026
The Virginia Supreme Court, in a narrow 4-3 decision, struck down the results of the April 21st special election referendum on a constitutional amendment, ruling that the Democrat-led General Assembly had violated procedural requirements under Article XII, Section 1 of the Virginia Constitution when advancing the measure — rendering the referendum results null and void.
The amendment, which voters narrowly approved, would have authorized mid-decade redistricting and enabled new congressional maps strongly favoring Democrats — likely shifting the state’s 11 House seats from the current six Democrats/five Republicans split under the 2021 maps to as lopsided as ten Democrats to one Republican.
By nullifying the measure, the ruling keeps the existing maps in place for the 2026 midterms, preserving a more competitive landscape and delivering an advantage to Republicans in the national battle over House control. The court emphasized that the legislature’s procedural flaws “incurably taint” the referendum, prioritizing constitutional process over the voter outcome in this case.
Meanwhile, Democrats have since condemned the ruling, claiming that it is “overriding the will” of the voters. Conversely, Republicans have praised it as a defense of the rule of law.
“On March 6, 2026, the General Assembly of Virginia submitted to Virginia voters a proposed constitutional amendment that authorizes partisan gerrymandering of congressional districts in the Commonwealth. We hold that the legislative process employed to advance this proposal violated Article XII, Section 1 of the Constitution of Virginia,” read the court’s decision.
“This constitutional violation incurably taints the resulting referendum vote and nullifies its legal efficacy,” the court added.
If Governor Abigail Spanberger’s (D-Va.) redistricting initiative had not been struck down, the resulting map would have almost certainly eliminated the four Republican-held districts in the state. This partisan overhaul was designed to maximize Democrat gains, but the Virginia Supreme Court’s intervention ensures the 2021 bipartisan lines remain in effect for the upcoming midterms.
Following the news, President Donald Trump celebrated the court’s ruling on Truth Social. He hailed the decision as a “huge win for the Republican Party, and America, in Virginia,” emphasizing the national significance of the ruling in the fight for control of the U.S. House of Representatives.
“Huge win for the Republican Party, and America, in Virginia. The Virginia Supreme Court has just struck down the Democrats’ horrible gerrymander. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!,” Trump said.
Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Joe Gruters also emphasized that the Virginia ruling is a cornerstone of the committee’s broader national strategy to challenge illegal redistricting schemes.
Gruters noted that the RNC has been actively litigating similar cases across the country to prevent partisan power grabs and ensure that legislative changes adhere strictly to constitutional requirements.
By successfully halting the Virginia referendum, Gruters argued that the GOP has set a vital precedent in defending the rule of law against attempts to “ram through” unconstitutional maps that would silence voters and lock in permanent political control.
“Today, the Virginia Supreme Court sided with the rule of law and struck down Democrats’ unconstitutional maps. The RNC led the charge in court against this blatant power grab, where Virginia Democrats poured more than $66 million into an effort to lock in control and silence voters. We took them to court, and we won,” said Gruters in a statement.
The Virginia Supreme Court’s decision is expected to have sweeping ramifications for the upcoming fall elections, where control of the U.S. House of Representatives hangs in the balance.
Democrats had viewed the mid-decade redistricting as a vital opportunity to reclaim the House majority, which would allow them to act as a legislative “check” on President Trump during the second half of his term.
To provide the necessary time for this legal and electoral process to unfold, Virginia had already shifted its primary elections from June to August 14th, with early voting scheduled to begin next month. Now, candidates will compete under the existing 2021 maps, forcing both parties to pivot their strategies for the late-summer primaries.
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