President Donald Trump celebrated the Virginia Supreme Court's decision Friday to invalidate a Democratic-backed congressional redistricting plan as a "huge win for the Republican Party, and America, in Virginia."

In a 4-3 ruling issued today, the court held that the Democratic-controlled General Assembly failed to follow constitutional procedures required to place the redistricting amendment on the April 21, 2026, special election ballot. The decision nullifies the voter-approved measure, preserving the current congressional district map for the 2026 midterm elections.

The amendment stemmed from a Democratic effort to redraw Virginia's 11 congressional districts mid-decade, bypassing the state's bipartisan redistricting commission. Proponents argued it would create a more favorable map for the party, potentially shifting the balance from a slim Democratic edge to as many as 10 Democratic seats. Voters narrowly approved the measure in the special election.

Republicans, led by figures like Florida GOP chair Joe Gruters, immediately challenged the ballot placement in court, alleging procedural violations under the state constitution. A circuit court initially paused certification of the results shortly after the election, and the Supreme Court heard arguments on April 27 before denying Democratic requests for stays.

"Democrats just learned that when you try to rig elections, you lose," Gruters said in a statement. "Today, the Virginia Supreme Court sided with the rule of law and struck down Democrats' unconstitutional maps."

Trump echoed the sentiment on Truth Social, posting: "The Virginia Supreme Court has just struck down the Democrats' horrible Gerrymander!" The ruling bolsters Republican hopes of maintaining or expanding their House majority in the 2026 midterms, especially after recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions limiting Voting Rights Act challenges to maps.

Democrats expressed disappointment. House Democratic Caucus Chair Rep. Suzan DelBene called it a setback, while others decried it as overriding the voters' will. The current map, drawn after the 2020 census, leaves Virginia's delegation closely divided, with competitive races in several districts.

The decision caps months of legal wrangling over Virginia's unusual mid-decade redistricting push, amid national battles over maps ahead of the 2026 elections. With current boundaries intact, candidates can proceed with filings under the existing lines, avoiding further disruption.