Democrats are back to their shady tactics.
Democrats in Virginia are moving forward with a controversial plan that Republicans say is designed to undermine Donald Trump and tilt the 2026 midterm elections in their favor.
On Friday, the Democrat-controlled Virginia State Senate approved a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow lawmakers — not an independent commission — to redraw the state’s U.S. House districts ahead of this year’s elections. The measure follows a similar vote earlier in the week in the state House of Delegates, clearing the way for the proposal to be placed directly before voters.
If approved this spring, the amendment would hand redistricting power back to the legislature through 2030, replacing the current nonpartisan system. Republicans warn the move opens the door to aggressive partisan gerrymandering at a critical moment for control of Congress.
Virginia Becomes the Latest Midterm Battleground
Virginia is now emerging as a key front in the growing national redistricting fight between President Trump and Democrats as both parties race to shape the political map ahead of November.
Democrats currently hold six of Virginia’s 11 U.S. House seats. Party leaders believe new district lines could help them flip as many as four additional seats — a potentially decisive advantage as Republicans defend a razor-thin House majority.
With Democrats needing a net gain of just three seats to reclaim control of the chamber, GOP leaders say the stakes could not be higher.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee praised the Virginia vote as “a critical step” toward what it called fair representation. DCCC Chair Rep. Suzan DelBene accused Republicans and President Trump of attempting to manipulate elections through mid-decade redistricting in Republican-led states.
Republicans fired back.
The Virginia Senate Republican Caucus condemned the proposal as a “partisan gerrymandering amendment” meant to entrench Democrats in power. The Republican National Committee went even further, labeling the effort a blatant political power grab.
RNC officials argue the move fits a long-standing Democratic playbook, pointing to states like Illinois, New York, and California where Democrats have drawn heavily skewed maps for years.
Trump’s Push to Prevent Another 2018
The Virginia fight is unfolding against the backdrop of President Trump’s broader effort to prevent a repeat of the 2018 midterms, when Democrats seized control of the House during his first term.
Last year, Trump openly supported rare but legal mid-decade redistricting in Republican-controlled states to protect the GOP’s narrow majority. Texas quickly became the centerpiece of that strategy.
At the time, Trump said Texas alone could deliver as many as five additional Republican-leaning House seats.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott called a special legislative session to pass a new map, but Democratic lawmakers fled the state for weeks in an effort to stall the vote — a move that energized left-wing activists nationwide.
California Governor Gavin Newsom emerged as one of Trump’s loudest critics, later backing a ballot initiative that returned redistricting authority to California’s Democrat-dominated legislature. That decision is expected to produce up to five new Democratic-leaning districts.
Redistricting Wars Spread Nationwide
The battle over congressional maps has since expanded well beyond Texas and California.
Republican-led legislatures in Missouri, Ohio, and North Carolina have approved new district lines. Florida Republicans, supported by Governor Ron DeSantis, are also seeking to add three to five GOP seats during a special legislative session this spring.
Republicans have faced setbacks as well. A Utah judge rejected GOP-drawn maps last year, approving an alternative that favors Democrats. In Indiana, Republican state senators blocked a redistricting bill despite pressure from the White House.
Still, Trump scored a major win when the conservative majority on the Supreme Court of the United States allowed Texas’ new map to stand.
What Happens Next
Virginia Democrats say they plan to release proposed congressional maps later this month. A newly launched Democratic-aligned nonprofit, “Virginians for Fair Elections,” is already urging voters to approve the ballot measure.
Meanwhile, uncertainty looms at the national level. The Supreme Court is expected to rule in Louisiana v. Callais, a case that could weaken key provisions of the Voting Rights Act. A conservative ruling could trigger widespread redrawing of majority-minority districts nationwide — a shift that would likely favor Republicans.
For now, one thing is certain: redistricting has become one of the most powerful and least understood weapons heading into the 2026 midterms — and Virginia may determine whether Democrats succeed in turning the maps against President Trump and the GOP.
