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The Republican National Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee filed a lawsuit Wednesday seeking to block Virginia’s Democratic-led legislature from moving forward with a plan to redraw the state’s congressional district maps.
Democrats have pushed to revisit the district boundaries ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, arguing that changes are necessary to reflect legal and political considerations. Republicans contend the effort is designed to counter redistricting actions taken by GOP-led states and to strengthen Democratic prospects in future elections.
RNC Chairman Joe Gruters said the proposal violates the state constitution, citing a recent court ruling that questioned the process used to advance the measure.
“Virginia Democrats are trying to ram through an illegal redistricting scheme that a court has already called a blatant abuse of power,” Gruters said in a statement. “Despite nearly half of Virginians supporting President Trump, Abigail Spanberger and Democrats are working to silence voters and lock in permanent political control.
“They’re ignoring the state Constitution, misleading voters, and rushing a sham election,” he continued. “The RNC is stepping in to stop this power grab and defend Virginia voters who would be effectively disenfranchised by Democrats.”
Under Virginia law, a constitutional amendment must pass the General Assembly in two separate sessions, with a statewide election occurring between those approvals, before it can be placed on the ballot for voters.
Last month, a state judge ruled that the first approval of the proposed amendment did not occur before the 2025 elections because early voting had already begun. That procedural issue prompted the Republican lawsuit, which seeks to prevent further action on the redistricting plan.
Democratic leaders in the state have argued that the proposal complies with legal requirements and say they intend to continue pursuing changes to the congressional map. The case is expected to move quickly through Virginia courts as lawmakers prepare for the upcoming election cycle.