AP Wire
  • Updated

The Virginia Supreme Court has struck down a Democratic congressional redistricting plan that had won voter approval. The court’s 4-3 decision Friday marked a major setback for Democrats in a nationwide redistricting battle with Republicans ahead of the midterm elections. The plan approved on April 21 by voters could have helped Democrats win up to four additional U.S. House seats. But the court said state lawmakers violated procedural requirements when referring the plan to the ballot. Friday’s ruling, combined with a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that severely weakened the Voting Rights Act, has supercharged Republicans’ advantage in congressional gerrymandering heading into this year’s midterm elections.