By House Democrats reacted with frustration Friday after the Virginia Supreme Court rejected a congressional map that could have given the party as many as four additional seats in the 2026 midterm elections.
The decision is a major blow to Democratic hopes of offsetting Republican redistricting efforts elsewhere and could strengthen the GOP’s position as it tries to hold the House majority. Several Democrats acknowledged privately that the ruling narrows their path to power and increases pressure on the party to win competitive districts across the country.
“Damn, California and Virginia were supposed to be our bigger ones,” one House Democrat told Axios in a phone interview after the ruling was released.
“This means we gotta make sure we have a good wave to win the House … we have to make sure we win a lot of those toss-ups,” the lawmaker said. “Democrats now have to pitch a perfect game.”
Another House Democrat, also speaking on the condition of anonymity, offered a one-word reaction in a text message: “F*****ck!!”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said Democrats are “exploring all options to overturn this shocking decision. No matter what it takes.”
The decision by the Virginia Supreme Court to overturn the will of more than three million voters will not stand. pic.twitter.com/ZtayVJRw4T
— Hakeem Jeffries (@RepJeffries) May 8, 2026
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chair Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.) called the ruling “a setback that sends a terrible message to Americans – the powerful and elite will do everything they can to silence you.”
The Virginia Supreme Court overturned an April referendum that had paused the state’s independent redistricting commission. Democrats had hoped to use a new map to expand their current 6-5 advantage in Virginia’s U.S. House delegation into a possible 10-1 majority.
That would have helped counter Republican map-drawing efforts in states such as Texas, where GOP leaders have sought to strengthen their position in the House. The ruling now gives Republicans an important advantage in the broader fight over mid-decade redistricting.
“Obviously it’s not good news and, coupled with the Voting [Rights] Act decision, it shows that the manipulation that may impact November may be on the Republican side now,” a third House Democrat told Axios.
“It’s going to be deflating for some, but really it’s just a reminder that we are not invincible,” said a fourth House Democrat. “We have felt so much momentum that it starts to feel like you can’t lose and this should be a wake-up call to Democrats that we still have a lot of work ahead of us.”
“Democrats cannot take a midterm victory for granted,” said a fifth, adding that “relying too much on the administration’s unpopularity and not enough of their own positive agenda could put an otherwise sure victory at risk.”
Rep. Marc Veasey (D-Texas) called the ruling “sickening” and said it is “clearly a disappointment.”
The ruling also renewed Democratic concerns about the cost of the redistricting fight. The Virginia campaign drew $62.5 million, including nearly $40 million from a group aligned with Jeffries.
It’s money they really don’t have.
The funniest part about the courts ruling that Virginia’s map is unconstitutional garbage is that the Democrats burned $64M just to get it thrown out.
Democratic National Committee
Cash on hand: $13.9M
Debt: $18.4M
Net: –$4.5M (underwater)Republican National Committee
Cash on…— Dustin Grage (@GrageDustin) May 8, 2026
“I feel like this is a colossal waste of resources that will further erode our politics,” a sixth House Democrat told the outlet, referring to the entire nationwide redistricting battle. “How many millions of dollars are we spending on this when the DNC is in debt and we have 40 frontline races to win?”
Still, some Democrats argued that the party can overcome the setback if the national environment continues to move in its favor.
“Trump will still have to deal with a Democratic majority in the House come November,” Veasey said.
Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) offered a similar view: “In spite of all the redistricting machinations, I think we will take back the House.”
But even Democrats who remain optimistic acknowledge that a Jeffries-led majority would likely be narrow. That could leave him facing the same internal pressures that have defined Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-La.) tenure.
“Everybody will exert their pressure,” the first House Democrat said.
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