Virginia Governor Says Focus Should Shift From Redistricting to Midterms

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger said it is time for Democrats to move past redistricting efforts after the state's highest court ruled that a proposed constitutional amendment violated procedural requirements. Spanberger told the New York Times in an interview published Friday that it is "outrageously premature" for Democrats to focus on redistricting.

" The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal from Virginia Democrats one week earlier. The state Supreme Court had ruled on May 8 that lawmakers advanced the amendment after early voting had begun, violating state constitutional rules.

Background on the Amendment The amendment would have allowed a redistricting map that favored Democrats by a 10-1 margin in House seats. Virginia voters approved the measure by a four-percentage-point margin on April 21. The "yes" campaign received funding from groups linked to George Soros. Spanberger had signed the amendment into law and publicly supported it before the court rulings.

Jeffries said Democrats would continue working to restore a 10-1 map ahead of 2028. Spanberger responded that such comments distract from the immediate task of winning in November. "That time is over now," she told the Times. A Washington Post poll from early April showed Spanberger less popular than each of the eight previous Virginia governors.

Florida and Tennessee have approved new maps that could add up to five Republican House seats. Both maps remain in effect.