Virginia voters on Tuesday approved a constitutional amendment to redraw the commonwealth’s congressional map, giving Democrats an opportunity to pick up as many as four additional House seats in this fall’s midterm elections. The pro-redistricting “yes” side was leading with just over 50 percent of the vote when The Associated Press called the race around 8:50 p.m. Eastern time, meaning that, at least for now, Democrats would be favored to control 10 out of Virginia’s 11 congressional districts under the new lines. Tuesday’s special election comes after the Virginia legislature began the process to redraw the map last fall, joining a collection of states that have altered their congressional lines ahead of the midterms. The result represents a big win for Democratic hopes of flipping the House this year when Republicans are defending a razor-thin majority in the chamber. “At a moment when Donald Trump directed Republican legislatures across the country to redraw their maps to lock in a House majority before voters had their say, Virginia just changed the battlefield,” Kéren Charles Dongo, the campaign manager for Virginians for Fair Elections, which advocated on behalf of the “yes” vote, said in a statement. The referendum campaign drew over $80 million in spending in recent weeks, most of it for the “yes” side, as both parties sought support for their stance. National party leaders flocked to the commonwealth to campaign alongside Virginia lawmakers and candidates. Still, while voters have approved the new plan, the Supreme Court of Virginia is expected to have the last word. The court allowed the special election to move forward, but a challenge to the referendum remains pending. “This close margin reinforces that Virginia is a purple state that shouldn’t be represented by a severe partisan gerrymander,” National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Richard Hudson said in a statement. “That’s exactly why the courts, who have already ruled twice to block this egregious power grab, should uphold Virginia law.” If permitted to go into effect, the new map would reshape the state’s House delegation, which currently includes six Democrats and five Republicans. Already, several Democrats have announced campaigns for the redrawn seats, including freshman Rep. Eugene Vindman, who has said he’ll run in the new 1st District, which includes most of his current constituents. Some Democratic candidates have also said they’ll run for different districts than where they originally launched their campaigns, with places of residency shifting under the new lines. Former Rep. Tom Perriello and Henrico County Commonwealth's Attorney Shannon Taylor have said they’ll run in the redrawn 6th and 5th districts, respectively. A crowded Democratic primary has already emerged in the new 7th District, with state Del. Dan Helmer and former Virginia first lady Dorothy McAuliffe announcing bids for a seat that would not have an incumbent. Virginia is the latest in a line of states that have adopted new maps since last summer. Republicans began the push for mid-decade redistricting after President Donald Trump urged GOP-led states to redraw congressional lines in an effort to help the party retain its House majority in 2026. Texas was the first to heed the president’s call and was later joined by Missouri and North Carolina. Meanwhile, California voters approved a new Democrat-drawn congressional map last fall, while Utah and Ohio will also have new congressional lines for the midterms. Redistricting is also on the agenda in Republican-controlled Florida when its Legislature meets in a special session next week. The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to weigh in on the Voting Rights Act before its current term ends in June, which, depending on the timing of the ruling, could prompt further redistricting in Republican-led states.
