In big win for Democrats, voters approve Virginia redistricting plan, moving battle to court

Voters in Virginia have greenlit a redistricting plan that could see Democrats gain up to four more seats in Congress during the 2026 midterm elections.

The Associated Press called the special election at 8:49 p.m., less than two hours after polls closed.

Virginia is now the second Democratic-controlled state to approve a redistricting plan in response to President Donald Trump’s unprecedented mid-decade gerrymandering in other states. 

The win likely neutralizes Republicans gerrymandered gains, and may actually give Democrats an advantage in the 2026 midterms.

Former President Barack Obama (D) congratulated Virginia voters in a social media post Tuesday.

“Republicans are trying to tilt the midterm elections in their favor, but they haven’t done it yet,” he said. “Thanks for showing us what it looks like to stand up for our democracy and fight back.”

Despite the electoral victory, the new congressional map proposed under the measure is not guaranteed to be enacted.

The redistricting plan faces multiple legal challenges from Republicans. The Virginia Supreme Court previously ruled that the special election could proceed despite the pending litigation, meaning the battle now moves into the courtroom.

Nonetheless, Democrats celebrated the win.

Virginia Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell (D) called it a victory for democracy. 

“Fairness won. Accountability won,” Surovell said in a statement. “And the Commonwealth that gave America its Constitution has once again reminded the nation what the Constitution is for.”

State Sen. L. Louise Lucas (D), the tough-talking Virginia legislator who championed the aggressive “10-1” map proposal, hailed its victory on social media.

“THANK YOU VIRGINIA!” Lucas wrote in a post accompanying a profanity-laced video mocking Trump that featured her wearing boxing gloves.

And Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin praised Virginia voters, saying they had “refused to let Trump play games with Americans’ right to fair representation.”

Trump ignited a national redistricting arms race last year when he called on Republican-controlled states to redraw their congressional maps in a bid to retain control of Congress in 2026. 

In response, Texas, Missouri and North Carolina passed new maps at Trump’s behest.

But Trump may have underestimated voters in Democratic-controlled states. 

Unlike red states that enacted maps without voter approval, many blue states can only pass new maps with the voters’ consent.

In November, California voters approved a plan to offset the GOP’s potential gains in Texas. Now Virginia voters have taken the same step, sending a clear message that they are willing to temporarily sidestep their state’s end-of-decade redistricting process and play political hardball in order to counter Trump’s gerrymanders. 

Since the redistricting war began, Republicans have potentially gained seven more seats in Congress — five in Texas, one in Missouri and one in North Carolina. 

As of Tuesday night, Democrats have potentially picked up 10 seats — five in California, one in Utah and four in Virginia.

But Republicans could add two to five more seats to their tally if the Florida legislature passes a new map in a special session this month.  

After the Virginia vote, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D) warned Florida that Democrats would respond to the state legislature moving forward with a new map by aggressively challenging Florida Republican members of Congress for defeat. 

“Maximum warfare, everywhere, all the time,” he wrote. 

In Virginia, Democrats have argued that the new congressional map is a temporary measure intended to counteract Trump’s gerrymanders in other states. Under the legislation, the state would return to bipartisan, end-of-decade redistricting in 2030.

Following Democrats’ win in the special election, Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) released a statement affirming that promise.

“Looking forward, I remain committed to ensuring Virginia’s bipartisan redistricting commission gets back to work after the 2030 census, and to protecting the process Virginians voted to create,” Spanberger said.