Virginia Democrats unveiled a proposed congressional map intended to help the party win roughly four additional House seats in the 2026 midterms, a move framed as a response to President Trump’s push to prompt mid-decade redistricting that would favor Republicans.
The commonwealth currently sends six Democrats and five Republicans to the U.S. House. Democrats posted the map and related legislation on the legislature’s website; Senate President Pro Tempore Louise Lucas confirmed it as the party’s proposal and said the plan was meant to “level the playing field” amid efforts she characterized as aimed at tilting the midterms.
For the plan to affect the 2026 elections it still needs approval from the General Assembly and voter approval of a constitutional amendment in a special election that lawmakers set for April 21. Gov. Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat, has not yet signed the order calling that special election; she must act by 11:59 p.m. on Feb. 11. Under the current constitution, a bipartisan commission controls redistricting; the pending amendment would temporarily let the General Assembly adopt new congressional districts for the upcoming elections and return to the standard process after the 2030 census.
The proposal faces legal and political hurdles. A circuit court judge in rural southwestern Virginia recently ruled that Democrats did not follow legal requirements in the amendment process. Democrats appealed, accusing Republicans of “court shopping,” and the Virginia Court of Appeals asked the Supreme Court of Virginia to take up the case. Republican legislators argue the constitutional change is unjustified and warned against making such permanent-seeming changes lightly.
Virginia is part of a broader national tussle over mid-decade redistricting. In 2025 Texas Republicans redrew maps in their favor, potentially netting five seats, and California Democrats later passed maps in a special election that could flip several seats to their side. Other states—Missouri, Ohio and North Carolina—have moved maps in ways that help Republicans, and Florida plans to redraw maps in April. Maryland Democrats are considering a map to flip that state’s lone Republican-held seat. Overall, Republicans so far have gained more seats through mid-decade changes, aided by control of more state legislatures.
If the Virginia amendment reaches voters, the ballot question would ask whether the constitution should be amended “to allow the General Assembly to temporarily adopt new congressional districts to restore fairness in the upcoming elections,” with the temporary authority ending after the 2030 census.
Jahd Khalil covers Virginia politics for VPM News.
