Virginia Judge Blocks Democrats’ Mid‑Decade U.S. House Map Amendment on Procedural Grounds
Tazewell Circuit Court Judge Jack Hurley Jr. ruled that a Democratic‑led mid‑decade constitutional amendment to let the party redraw Virginia’s U.S. House map was invalid because it failed to meet a state requirement that such proposals be passed and published at least three months before a general election and violated legislative rules by being added during a special session. The decision voids the amendment ahead of November, prompted an appeal from backers who accused Republicans of "court‑shopping," and comes amid a broader national fight over mid‑decade redistricting in which both parties see potential seat gains.
📌 Key Facts
- Tazewell Circuit Court Judge Jack Hurley Jr. voided the proposed mid‑decade redistricting constitutional amendment in Virginia on procedural grounds, finding it failed the state requirement that such proposals be passed and published at least three months before a general election and that it was improperly added during a special session in violation of legislative rules, which he called a "blatant abuse of power."
- The ruling nullifies the amendment that would have allowed Democrats to redraw Virginia’s U.S. House maps before November; the pro‑amendment group Virginians for Fair Elections says it will appeal and accuses Republicans of "court‑shopping."
- The Virginia decision is part of a broader national mid‑decade redistricting struggle in which Republicans currently see nine potential U.S. House pick‑ups from new maps in other states while Democrats see six.
- In Indiana, President Trump publicly vowed to "take out" Senate Majority Leader Rod Bray in GOP primaries after Bray’s chamber rejected a Trump‑backed congressional map, and said he would work with former Rep. David McIntosh (now a key figure at the Club for Growth) to defeat Bray; McIntosh publicly agreed.
- Indiana lawmakers were sharply divided over that state’s proposed map: the Indiana Senate voted 31–19 in December against a redistricting plan that would have created two additional right‑leaning U.S. House districts (effectively eliminating two Democratic seats), with 21 Republicans joining 10 Democrats in opposition; the Indiana House had passed the bill 57–41 with roughly a dozen Republicans voting no, and Senate GOP leaders said there was insufficient support to move the map forward despite pressure from Trump and Vice President JD Vance.
📰 Source Timeline (3)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
January 27, 2026
10:23 PM
Virginia Democrats' redistricting resolution illegal due to technicality, judge finds
New information:
- Tazewell Circuit Court Judge Jack Hurley Jr. ruled that the proposed mid‑decade redistricting constitutional amendment is invalid due to failure to meet a state requirement that such proposals be passed and published at least three months before a general election.
- Hurley also held that the Democratic‑led legislature violated its own internal rules by adding the amendment during a special session, calling it a 'blatant abuse of power.'
- The ruling voids the amendment that would have let Democrats redraw Virginia’s U.S. House maps before November; the pro‑amendment group Virginians for Fair Elections says it will appeal and accuses Republicans of 'court‑shopping.'
- The article situates Virginia’s fight within a broader national mid‑decade redistricting struggle in which Republicans currently see nine potential pick‑ups and Democrats six from new maps in other states.
January 18, 2026
10:25 AM
Trump vows to ‘take out’ Indiana GOP leader over redistricting fight
New information:
- Reports that President Trump is now directly targeting Indiana Senate Majority Leader Rod Bray, vowing to "take out" Bray in GOP primaries after Bray’s chamber rejected a Trump‑backed congressional map.
- Details that the Indiana Senate voted 31–19 in December against the new map that would have created two additional right‑leaning U.S. House districts and effectively eliminated two Democratic seats, with 21 Republicans joining 10 Democrats in opposition.
- Trump says he will work with former Indiana congressman David McIntosh, now a key figure at the Club for Growth, to defeat Bray, and McIntosh publicly agreed, saying "Rod Bray is going down."
- The Indiana House had passed the redistricting bill 57–41 with a dozen Republicans voting no, but Bray and other Senate GOP leaders maintained there was insufficient support to move the map forward despite heavy pressure from Trump and Vice President JD Vance.
January 17, 2026