RNC sues Virginia to stop state's Democratic redistricting push

The Republican National Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee sued Virginia Wednesday in an effort to stop the state's Democratic-led legislature from redrawing the state's congressional district maps.

Democrats have sought to redraw the state's district maps in a bid to cancel out redistricting efforts by Republicans in other states ahead of the 2026 midterms.

RNC Chairman Joe Gruters claimed the redistricting effort was unconstitutional after a state court objected to the redistricting push on procedural grounds last month.

“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.”

State law requires a constitutional amendment to be passed in the state legislature twice, with an election intervening in between the sessions, in order to go before voters. But the state judge ruled last month that the first passage of the amendment did not take place before the state’s 2025 elections because early voting had already begun.