Ted Lieu blasts Virginia court ruling blocking redistricting amendment

Virginia’s top court handed Republicans a major lift in the fight for the U.S. House, blocking a voter-approved amendment that could have helped Democrats contest as many as four congressional districts in the 2026 midterms.

In a 4-3 decision in Scott v. McDougle, the Virginia Supreme Court voided the redistricting amendment and said it was null and void after finding that the Virginia General Assembly failed to follow procedural requirements when it put the measure on the ballot. The opinion, issued by Justice D. Arthur Kelsey, leaves Virginia’s 2021 congressional map in place for the next election cycle.

That outcome matters well beyond Richmond. Democrats had viewed the amendment as a path to redraw Virginia’s congressional lines temporarily and improve their odds in a state that can influence control of the House in a narrowly divided chamber. With the 2021 map preserved, Republicans keep a map that could help them defend vulnerable seats as they try to hold their majority in 2026.

The ballot measure itself had already cleared voters on April 21, when 51.69% voted yes, or 1,604,276 Virginians, compared with 48.31%, or 1,499,393, who voted no. The Virginia General Assembly had placed the amendment on the ballot on March 6. The court’s ruling overturned that result after the fact, setting up a clash between the state judiciary and Democrats who argued the vote reflected the will of the people.

Ted Lieu blasted the ruling on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,” calling it “not only wrong, it was disgraceful.” Virginia Democrats moved quickly after the decision and filed an emergency motion seeking intervention from the U.S. Supreme Court to delay enforcement.

Republican leaders in Virginia, meanwhile, praised the ruling as a victory for constitutional procedure and the rule of law. The split response underscores why Scott v. McDougle has become one of the country’s most closely watched redistricting fights: it is not just about who draws Virginia’s lines, but about which party enters the 2026 battle with the sharper map and the clearer path to House control.