By OLIVIA DIAZ, Associated Press
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A Virginia judge ruled Tuesday that a proposed constitutional amendment letting Democrats redraw the state’s Congressional maps was illegal, potentially foiling their efforts to pick up seats in the U.S. House in November.
Tazewell Circuit Court Judge Jack Hurley Jr. wrote in a court order that Virginia lawmakers’ proposed constitutional amendment was not valid due to a technicality under state law that says such proposals must be passed and published by the clerk’s office at least three months before a general election.
In October, lawmakers advanced their mid-decade redistricting resolution less than a week before their statewide races.
The unusual mid-decade redistricting battle across the country has resulted, so far, in a nine more seats that Republicans believe they can win in Texas, Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio. Democrats, meanwhile, think they can win six more because of redistricting in California and Utah.
That leaves the GOP up by three seats, and Democrats hope to fully or partially make that up in Virginia.
As in Virginia, redistricting is still being litigated in several states, and there is no guarantee that the parties will win the seats they have redrawn.
