Democratic lawmakers in Virginia on Thursday released a proposed congressional redistricting map that would significantly reshape the state’s 11 U.S. House districts and could alter the political balance ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, even as legal challenges cloud its implementation.
The proposal — which Democrats say would configure 10 of the state’s 11 districts in a way favorable to their party — represents a bold effort to counter partisan redistricting advances by Republicans in other states. If adopted, the new map could shift four seats currently held by Republicans into competitive or Democratic-leaning territory.
At a news conference at the State Capitol, House Speaker Don Scott and Senate President Pro Tempore Louise Lucas, both Democrats, described the plan as “necessary” to protect Democratic chances in a political environment they characterized as aggressive and partisan. Scott said the proposed lines reflect months of legislative work and are ready for public release.
“Virginia to the rescue,” Scott said, framing the effort as a response to what Democrats see as coordinated redistricting strategies by Republican officials elsewhere in the country.
Republican leaders sharply criticized the proposal, with Senate Minority Leader Ryan McDougle saying Democrats were focusing on political advantage rather than issues affecting everyday Virginians.
The release comes amid an ongoing legal dispute over the process used to authorize mid-decade redistricting. In late January, a Virginia judge ruled that a constitutional amendment passed by the Democratic-controlled legislature to allow the map change was invalid because lawmakers did not follow state constitutional requirements. That decision halted the redistricting effort and sent the case to the Virginia Supreme Court.
Despite the ruling, Democrats say they will continue to press forward and put the proposed map before voters in an April referendum if the courts allow it — a step that would give the public the final say on whether to adopt the changes ahead of the 2026 elections.
It remains unclear whether the map can be implemented before primary ballots are finalized, and the legal battle is expected to continue in the coming weeks.
Virginia’s current congressional districts favor Democrats 6 to 5, and the proposed plan would deepen that advantage if approved.
(Map courtesy of VPAP.org)
