Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger (D) launched a blistering attack on the U.S. Supreme Court Friday after it declined to revive the state's newly approved congressional map, which had been struck down by Virginia's highest court.
“The Supreme Court of the United States has now joined the Supreme Court of Virginia in choosing to nullify an election and the votes of more than three million Virginians,” Spanberger wrote on X. “These Virginians made their voices heard — casting their ballots in good faith to push back against a President who said he’s ‘entitled’ to more seats in Congress before voters go to the polls.”
The justices refused to block a 4-3 ruling from the Virginia Supreme Court that found Democrats had bypassed proper procedures when they sent the redistricting proposal directly to voters. The state court's decision erased four potential Democratic pickup opportunities in the House, handing Republicans a chance to net six to seven seats that might otherwise have stayed in Democratic hands, according to the Cook Political Report.
Virginia Democrats had filed an emergency appeal Monday, accusing their own state supreme court of “judicial defiance.” The U.S. Supreme Court's order came without noted dissents, leaving the state ruling intact.
Spanberger later shared an ActBlue fundraising link on her personal X account, urging donations to Democratic congressional campaigns in Virginia. On Thursday, she had announced that the state would revert to its old map, citing a May 12 deadline for any changes, as reported by WTOP.
The decision sent shockwaves through Virginia's Democratic ranks, as the party had pinned hopes on redrawing districts to reclaim the House majority. The Supreme Court's rejection of the Democratic bid mirrored similar battles in other states, where President Trump had directed Republican-controlled legislatures to redraw maps to solidify GOP control.
Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones (D) called the Supreme Court's response “yet another profoundly troubling example of the continued national attack on voting rights and the rule of law by Donald Trump, Republican state legislatures, and conservative courts.” He said it left a “deeply flawed” state ruling in place.
Other Virginia Democrats, including Rep. Suhas Subramanyam and state Del. Elizabeth Guzman, also condemned the decision. Subramanyam vowed that “Virginians remember this November” when they head to the polls. Guzman, who suspended her campaign pending the redistricting outcome, expressed disappointment but said she hopes other candidates will “fight and deliver for a Virginia that works for ALL.”
Rep. Jennifer McClellan (D-Va.) said on NewsNation's “The Hill Sunday” that “all options” remain on the table, including a constitutional amendment in the General Assembly. But she stressed the immediate “political fight.”
“I am focused on making sure that this November we pick up as many of these seats in Virginia as possible, no matter what the ultimate map looks like, and that we fight against what the Jim Crow South is doing to dilute Black voters and eliminate Black representation so that they can get a Republican Congress,” McClellan said. The Congressional Black Caucus has warned that 19 members face redistricting risk after similar Supreme Court rulings this term.
The ruling leaves Virginia Democrats scrambling to salvage their midterm prospects, as the old map remains in place for the 2024 elections.
