{"id":590508,"date":"2026-04-22T22:35:10","date_gmt":"2026-04-22T22:35:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/?p=590508"},"modified":"2026-04-22T22:35:10","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T22:35:10","slug":"not-so-fast-virginia-judge-blocks-redistricting-referendum-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/?p=590508","title":{"rendered":"Not So Fast: Virginia Judge Blocks Redistricting Referendum"},"content":{"rendered":"

Not So Fast: Virginia Judge Blocks Redistricting Referendum<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Update (1835ET):\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>A Virginia judge ruled on Wednesday that the state\u2019s redistricting referendum approved by voters a day earlier was invalid, nullifying the election results.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

“Virginia voters have spoken, and an activist judge should not have veto power over the People\u2019s vote<\/strong>,” said\u00a0Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones, adding that the state would appeal.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As\u00a0American Greatness<\/em><\/a>\u00a0notes further,\u00a0Tazewell County Judge Jack Hurley Jr. ruled that the referendum was likely unconstitutional as it violated procedural requirements in the Virginia Constitution, including the timing of the vote and the failure to publish the amendment three months before the prior general election.<\/p>\n

The Tazewell Circuit Court also ruled the ballot language was misleading, specifically the phrase \u201crestore fairness,\u201d which Hurley determined could improperly influence voters by implying opposition is unfair.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The constitutional amendment was framed on the ballot as a vote \u201cto restore fairness in the upcoming elections.\u201d\u00a0 It narrowly passed Tuesday night<\/a> by a margin of 51.5 percent to 48.5 percent.<\/p>\n

In his written ruling,<\/a> Hurley said the plaintiffs had an \u201cextraordinarily high likelihood of success on the merits.\u201d<\/p>\n

The contested measure would allow Democrats to re-draw the state\u2019s congressional maps from a 6-to-5 advantage to 10-to-1 majority, disenfranchising potentially millions of Republican voters ahead of the 2026 midterms.<\/p>\n

The temporary restraining order was requested by the Republican National Committee, the National Republican Congressional Committee, and U.S. Reps. Ben Cline (R-Botetourt County) and Morgan Griffith (R-Salem).<\/p>\n

\n

In the emergency motion, the plaintiffs asked the court to issue a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against Virginia\u2019s commissioner of elections, members of the State Board of Elections and several Tazewell County election officials. They contend the court should intervene immediately to \u201cpreserve the status quo\u201d and prevent what they describe as \u201cirreparable harm\u201d before a hearing can be held.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\u201cThe Democrats\u2019 unfair redistricting scheme is illegal. We are grateful that the court has agreed and swiftly applied justice to stop this unconstitutional power grab that would disenfranchise millions of Virginia voters by reassigning them members of Congress from other parts of the state,\u201d said Cline. \u201cThis ruling is an important victory in our fight to make sure that politicians don\u2019t get to select their own voters.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Hurley\u2019s ruling declares that any and all votes for or against the proposed constitutional amendment in the April 21, 2026 special election are ineffective and enjoins Defendants and their successors from certifying the results of the election.<\/p>\n

Additional legal challenges argue the amendment violates the single-subject rule and was improperly advanced during a special legislative session. Although the Virginia Supreme Court allowed the referendum to proceed while reviewing the case, if it upholds the lower court\u2019s findings, the referendum results could be invalidated.<\/p>\n

President Donald Trump weighed in on Truth Social Wednesday morning, claiming the referendum itself was \u201crigged.\u201d <\/strong>In his post, Trump wrote:<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cA RIGGED ELECTION TOOK PLACE LAST NIGHT IN THE GREAT COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA! All day long Republicans were winning, the Spirit was unbelievable, until the very end when, of course, there was a massive \u2018Mail In Ballot Drop!\u2019 Where have I heard that before \u2014 And the Democrats eked out another Crooked Victory! Six to five goes to ten to one, and yet the Presidential Election in November was very close to a 50-50 split. \u2026 Let\u2019s see if the Courts will fix this travesty of \u2018Justice.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Trump\u2019s comments focused on the overnight counting of mail-in and absentee ballots \u2014 which flipped the initially reported lead \u2014 echoing his past criticisms of election procedures. The referendum was extremely close (roughly 51.4% Yes \/ 48.6% No), and in Virginia it is standard for in-person votes to be tallied first on election night while mail ballots are counted later.<\/p>\n

Virginia\u2019s Republican-hating<\/a> Attorney General Jay Jones (D) has already vowed to appeal the ruling.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy office will immediately appeal the ruling issued by the Tazewell County Circuit Court,<\/strong>\u201d Jones said. \u201cThese arguments are already before the Supreme Court of Virginia, the proper forum to consider the arguments, which has set a schedule for receiving arguments and has justifiably allowed the vote to proceed during this time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Virginia Senate Minority Leader Ryan McDougle (R-Hanover) and House Minority Leader Terry Kilgore (R-Scott) issued a joint statement saying the ruling was \u201ca necessary step to protect Virginia voters from an illegal and rushed\u201d redistricting referendum.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Constitution sets clear rules for how amendments must be advanced. Those rules were not properly followed. Plain and simple. Virginians deserve transparency, fairness, and adherence to the law \u2014 not backroom deals<\/strong>,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n

Former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli predicted on the Scott Jennings Show, Wednesday that the Virginia redistricting measure won\u2019t survive the legal challenges.<\/p>\n

\u201cHere\u2019s my prediction,\u201d Cuccinelli posted on X.<\/a> \u201cThe referendum gets tossed out in May.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now they care about activist judges!\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n

We are having quite the night in the courts. A Virginia judge just blocked the state from certifying the results of Tuesday’s congressional map referendum as unlawful. Judge Jack Hurley Jr., ruled that Democrats did not follow the correct procedure for a constitutional\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2014 Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) April 22, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

* * *<\/p>\n

Democrats\u2019 decisive win in Virginia Tuesday night has dealt a significant blow to Republican hopes of retaining control of the House.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

By persuading voters to dismantle the state’s independent redistricting commission – created just six years ago – Democrats wiped out four Republican-held congressional districts<\/strong>. This means Virginia’s House delegation is now on track to shift to a 10-to-1 Democratic advantage, a dramatic reversal for a state that remained firmly in GOP hands not long ago.<\/p>\n

That said, Democrats dropped\u00a0$65 million<\/strong>\u00a0on the races (though the final tally was uncomfortably close), while\u00a0Punchbowl<\/em><\/a>\u00a0reports that Republicans are trading blame internally – second-guessing whether they let a chance slip away to blunt the Democratic surge.<\/p>\n

And with midterms right around the corner, there are few indications that President Trump or House Republican leadership possesses either the strategic focus or message discipline needed to protect their narrow majority.<\/strong> Fresh off Trump’s 2024 presidential win, Republicans, led by Speaker Mike Johnson, clung to control by the slimmest of margins. Pulling off a repeat performance now looks considerably tougher.<\/p>\n

Betting markets are already pricing in a Democratic win in the House.<\/p>\n

Will the Democratic Party control the House after the 2026 Midterm elections?<\/strong>
\nYes 85% \u00b7 No 16%
View full market & trade on Polymarket <\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

While party leaders insist a third Trump impeachment is off the table, the shift would almost certainly unleash a barrage of investigations and subpoenas aimed at the White House and Cabinet agencies<\/strong> – with major legal and political ripple effects. Lawmakers could also face even more protracted government shutdowns than the record-length appropriations lapses seen in the current Congress.<\/p>\n

“I told Mike Johnson in July of last year that, ‘If you go down this road, it’s not going to work out for you,'” Jeffries told Punchbowl\u00a0<\/em>Tuesday night.<\/p>\n

He added: “And at the end of the day, his best-case scenario was that he would net zero seats<\/strong>, but force at least 10 Republicans, who are incumbent members of his conference, into premature retirement. And that is exactly what has happened.”<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Jeffries earned significant credit for orchestrating Tuesday’s outcome – as Virginia Democrats first had to steer the ballot measure through the state legislature twice, beat back multiple court challenges, and then win over voters. A nonprofit aligned with Jeffries poured $38 million into the effort to secure passage,\u00a0<\/strong>and he personally managed the operation from beginning to end – designing the referendum strategy, recruiting staff and directing on-the-ground coordination. Many Virginia Democrats initially resisted the high-stakes gamble, requiring Jeffries to personally persuade both the state delegation and the warring legislative chambers to fall in line.<\/p>\n

True to form, Jeffries remained measured when asked whether Tuesday’s result clinched the majority or signaled an impending blue wave. He did, however, declare victory in the broader redistricting battle.<\/p>\n

“When you line up the congressional map in Texas and compare it with the response in California, they’re going to lose seats and would be fortunate if in Texas, they win two or three of the five seats that they claimed they were going to steal from Democrats,” Jeffries said.<\/p>\n

The biggest wild cards left for both sides are Florida and the future of the Voting Rights Act, which is up to the Supreme Court.\u00a0<\/strong>Tuesday’s result intensifies pressure on Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to advance an ambitious congressional map next week capable of delivering Republicans a net gain of three to five seats.\u00a0Yet DeSantis is encountering pushback from the state’s Republican congressional delegation and the GOP-controlled legislature<\/strong>, many of whom doubt such an aggressive redraw is feasible. Several Florida Republicans caution that Latino voters are not reliably in the GOP column and may not show up for the party the way they did in 2024, urging caution.<\/p>\n

Spending in Virginia was wildly lopsided.<\/strong> Democrats poured $56.4 million into television and digital ads; Republicans mustered just $24.6 million.\u00a0Republicans still lost by fewer than 90,000 votes out of more than 3 million cast.<\/p>\n

According to the report, GOP strategists insist they deliberately avoided nationalizing the contest to keep from energizing the Democratic base. They argue that heavier spending would simply have provoked an even larger Democratic response. They also note that the “No” side outperformed Trump’s 2024 numbers in the state.\u00a0Former Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares and onetime House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, who helmed the opposition effort, pledged to keep fighting the new map in court.<\/p>\n

House Republicans, however, were already firing off frantic messages Tuesday night.<\/strong> Several told reporters they had been assured that additional money would make no difference in Virginia<\/strong> – yet the narrow margin suggests otherwise.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The American Action Network, a nonprofit close to Johnson, quietly funneled money to the group bankrolling the “No” campaign, according to a person familiar with the transaction. Meanwhile,\u00a0<\/strong>only one solidly Republican seat remains, in the state’s southwest corner. GOP Reps. Ben Cline and Morgan Griffith may find themselves forced into a member-versus-member primary.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Tyler Durden<\/a><\/span>
\nWed, 04\/22\/2026 – 18:35<\/span><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Not So Fast: Virginia Judge Blocks Redistricting Referendum Update (1835ET):\u00a0A Virginia judge ruled on Wednesday that the state\u2019s redistricting referendum approved by voters a day earlier was invalid, nullifying the election results. “Virginia voters have spoken, and an activist judge should not have veto power over the People\u2019s vote,” said\u00a0Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones, adding… Continue reading Not So Fast: Virginia Judge Blocks Redistricting Referendum<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":590498,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[18,19,10,21,12,11,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-590508","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cancel-culture","category-censorship","category-civil-liberties","category-election-integrity","category-equal-justice","category-free-speech","category-religious-freedom","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/590508","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=590508"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/590508\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/590498"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=590508"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=590508"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=590508"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}