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Republican Courts Wins Stall Democratic Redistricting Efforts in Virginia and New York

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Virginia Judge Issues TRO Halting April Referendum Tazewell Circuit Court Judge Jack Hurley Jr. granted a temporary restraining order at the request of the Republican National Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee, blocking the April 21 voter referendum and the March 6 early‑voting period until March 18 [1]. The Republican plaintiffs, including U.S. Reps. Ben Cline and Morgan Griffith, argue the referendum’s timing and wording violate state law [1]. Attorney General Jay Jones announced an appeal, citing earlier Virginia Supreme Court guidance that the referendum should proceed while the challenge is reviewed [1].

Democrats Mobilize Appeal While Emphasizing House‑Seat Stakes Democrats plan to appeal the TRO, stressing that the new map could create four additional U.S. House seats for Virginia [1]. Governor Abigail Spanberger’s recent law designating Richmond as the exclusive venue for constitutional‑amendment cases is being challenged by Republicans who maintain the Tazewell venue is proper [1]. The redistricting fight is linked to a broader national contest over House control, with Republicans referencing President Trump’s mid‑decade redistricting push in Texas [1].

Republicans Petition Supreme Court to Freeze NYC Map After a state judge threw out Rep. Nicole Malliotakis’s district for diluting Black and Latino voting strength, GOP leaders filed an emergency petition with the U.S. Supreme Court seeking an immediate stay [2]. The Department of Justice submitted a brief supporting the request, urging a ruling by the following Monday so ballot‑petition filing can proceed under the existing map [2]. The petition argues that race‑based redistricting violates the Constitution, echoing Malliotakis’s claim of the Court’s “unequivocal” stance [2].

State Courts Order New NYC Congressional Map The state appeals court backed the lower‑court decision, directing New York’s redistricting commission to draft a replacement congressional map [2]. The ruling follows a Democratic‑aligned election‑law firm’s challenge that the previous lines weakened minority voting power in Staten Island and southern Brooklyn [2]. GOP officials contend the decision disrupts the upcoming ballot‑petition deadline, which begins next Tuesday [2].

Legal Landscape Shows Divergent Court Approaches Virginia’s venue dispute highlights a conflict between state‑level venue statutes and judicial discretion, with the judge retaining Tazewell despite the new Richmond‑only rule [1]. At the federal level, the Supreme Court’s recent approvals of new maps in Texas and California suggest reluctance to block redistricting, contrasting with the pending emergency request to halt New York’s map [2]. These parallel battles illustrate how Republican legal strategies are targeting Democratic redistricting gains in multiple states.

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Timeline

Dec 1, 2025 – Indiana House Republicans unveil a draft congressional map that eliminates the two Democratic‑held districts and splits Indianapolis into four districts, aiming to give GOP control of all nine seats; the proposal moves to the Senate for a vote [30].

Dec 2, 2025 – President Donald Trump urges states to redraw congressional districts before the 2026 elections, arguing that mid‑decade maps can counter the historical trend of the president’s party losing midterm seats [25].

Dec 4, 2025 – The U.S. Supreme Court grants emergency relief, allowing Texas to use its newly redrawn congressional map for the 2026 midterms after the state files a request to block a lower‑court ruling; the Court finds “serious errors” by the lower court [2].

Dec 5, 2025 – In a separate order, the Supreme Court permits Texas to employ the 2025‑drawn map, noting that the state may use the map unless a violation of the Voting Rights Act or Constitution is proven [27].

Dec 8, 2025 – Indiana Senate reconvenes to consider the House‑passed map, despite earlier resistance from many Republican senators [30].

Dec 10, 2025 – Opponents of Missouri’s new congressional map submit more than 300,000 signatures to force a public referendum, far exceeding the 110,000 needed to suspend the map pending a vote [22].

Dec 11, 2025 – Indiana Senate rejects the GOP‑favored redistricting plan 31‑19, with 21 Republican senators joining all Democrats; the vote would have given Republicans all nine House seats [21].

Dec 12, 2025 – Indiana senators face swatting and bomb threats after rejecting Trump’s redistricting push; Trump publicly threatens primary challengers against dissenters [19][21].

Dec 14, 2025 – Senator Rand Paul warns that partisan redistricting “could increase civil tension and potentially lead to more violence” across the United States [16].

Dec 15, 2025 – A three‑judge federal panel in Los Angeles hears a request for a temporary restraining order to block California’s new congressional map, which voters approved by 64 % in November [15].

Dec 16, 2025 – The Trump administration suffers back‑to‑back federal defeats in California: a district court upholds Proposition 50 and the new map, and Judge David O. Carter dismisses the Justice Department’s request for voter data, citing privacy laws [11].

Jan 14, 2026 – A federal three‑judge panel in Los Angeles clears California’s voter‑approved map for the 2026 elections, rejecting Republican and DOJ attempts to block it and confirming the map’s use in upcoming primaries [12].

Jan 16, 2026 – The Virginia Senate passes a partisan‑led constitutional amendment that would allow mid‑decade redrawing of U.S. House districts; the amendment heads to a statewide referendum slated for April 21 [10].

Jan 21, 2026 – A federal judge orders New York City’s southern Brooklyn‑Staten Island district, the sole GOP seat in the city, to be redrawn because it dilutes Black and Hispanic votes, directing the state to redraw the lines before the next election [5].

Jan 27, 2026 – A Virginia circuit judge blocks the General Assembly’s last‑minute constitutional amendment for mid‑decade redistricting, finding it violated procedural timing rules for amendments and elections [4].

Jan 28, 2026 – The same judge declares the amendment “invalid and void,” labeling the rushed legislative move a “blatant abuse of power” and warning it could prevent Democrats from adding up to four House seats [9].

Feb 4, 2026 – The U.S. Supreme Court issues an unsigned order clearing California’s new Democratic‑favored congressional map, allowing the November‑2025 Proposition 50 plan to take effect and targeting up to five Republican seats; Governor Gavin Newsom declares Trump “lost” the redistricting war [1][7][8].

Feb 4, 2026 – Justice Samuel Alito, joined by Justices Thomas and Gorsuch, notes in a concurrence that both California and Texas adopted maps for “partisan advantage pure and simple,” underscoring the Court’s reluctance to intervene on partisan grounds [3].

Feb 9, 2026 – Candidate filing opens for California’s 2026 congressional primaries, with GOP leaders warning the new lines will further shrink the state’s Republican delegation [7].

Feb 19, 2026 – A Virginia circuit judge grants a temporary restraining order halting the April 21 referendum on the redistricting amendment, pausing early voting scheduled for March 6 and prompting Democrats to appeal citing Supreme Court guidance [6].

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