Tazewell Circuit Court Judge Jack Hurley Jr. has effectively blocked Democrats' plan to conduct a referendum to redraw the state's congressional map to pick up four more U.S. House seats in the national redistricting battle.
After ruling in January that a resolution for a constitutional amendment was illegally passed in a special legislative session and taken up too close to an intervening election, Judge Hurley recently granted the temporary restraining order requested by the Republican National Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee, which argue against the ballot referendum's timing and phrasing.
Virginia Democratic Attorney General Jay Jones has already vowed to appeal this latest ruling, which the GOP national committee has called "a massive win in defending honest representation for every Virginian."
The court's decision, while temporary, could kill the referendum for this year. The restraining order is in effect until March 18, and early voting is slated to start March 6.
Democrats are confident the latest court order will be overturned, but Washington Times columnist Robert Knight says it looks like this could hold up on appeal.
"If it does, it will reverse this radical gerrymandering plan, which would have left Virginia with nine Democrat congressional seats and only one Republican seat," he tells AFN.
He points out that Old Dominion voters have voted Republican by 48% in recent elections, which means the current makeup of six Democrats and five Republicans "pretty much reflects the electorate."
Knight also believes the timing bodes well for the Republicans.
"The primaries are approaching, and I don't think the Democrats can get an appeal in time to turn it back and gerrymander the state before the 2026 congressional elections," he submits.
