Jack Hurley Blocks Virginia Redistricting Referendum Certification, Republican National Committee Wins

A Virginia circuit court judge blocked the state from certifying results of Tuesday’s congressional redistricting referendum, ruling the referendum and the bill that triggered it unconstitutional.

The decision came from the Tazewell Circuit Court, according to WJLA, and CNBC reported that Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones vowed to fight the order issued by Tazewell County Circuit Court Judge Jack Hurley.

Al-Jazeera Net

CNBC said Hurley ruled in favor of a lawsuit filed by the Republican National Committee challenging the legality of the referendum, and that Hurley said the referendum question was void "ab initio"—"from the beginning."

WJLA said the judge deemed the referendum and the bill unconstitutional and that Jones confirmed his office would appeal.

Fox News likewise described Hurley’s ruling that all votes for or against the proposed redistricting amendment were unconstitutional, citing rules the referendum did not meet.

BBC reported that on Wednesday evening a Virginia judge paused the state from certifying the results of the referendum, deeming it and the bill that triggered it unconstitutional, following a lawsuit from the Republican National Committee.

In parallel, CNBC said Hurley enjoined the state from taking any actions to update or alter election districts, or voter registration records as a result of the referendum.

The referendum’s outcome was close, with multiple outlets describing the “Yes” vote as narrowly winning and tying it to potential House seat changes.

CNBC said the Virginia redistricting referendum passed by three percentage points and described it as allowing for a temporary adoption of new district lines before returning control of redistricting to an independent commission in 2031.

BBC

Al-Jazeera Net reported that the “Yes” option won a majority of 51.45% to 48.55% against the measure, and said the “Yes” outcome would enable Democrats to seize four pivotal House seats from Republican control.

NPR said the Virginia delegation to the U.S. House is currently six Democrats and five Republicans and could go to 10-to-1 under the new map, while CNN said the map gives Democrats the chance to net as many as four U.S. House seats and that the map is set to go into effect.

CNN also said the map would give Democrats an electoral advantage in 10 of the state’s 11 House districts, and that Democrats currently control six of those seats.

Le Monde reported that on Tuesday, April 21, voters approved a new electoral map favorable to the Democrats by a narrow margin and that the yes side won more than 51% of the vote against the no.

WJLA added that Virginia voters on Tuesday narrowly advanced legislation to redraw the state’s Congressional maps, a move that could give Democrats 10 out of the 11 seats in the U.S. House.

Even as the judge blocked certification, BBC said the midterms take place in November and that each newly drawn district could play a role in deciding which political party takes the House.

Reactions to the referendum and the court order split sharply along party lines, with multiple named figures issuing direct statements.

CNBC quoted Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones saying, "My office will immediately file an appeal in the Court of Appeals," and also quoting Jones: "Virginia voters have spoken, and an activist judge should not have veto power over the People's vote."

CNBC also quoted House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., saying, "House Democrats will continue to fight one battle after another on behalf of the American people," and later adding, "We will not let Donald Trump rig the midterm election."

WJLA reported that Jones told 7News he would appeal and that the Republican National Committee celebrated the ruling and called the redistricting efforts a "blatant power grab," citing a spokesperson’s statement to ABC News.

Fox News quoted Ken Cuccinelli on X saying, "The Tazewell Circuit Court just ruled the referendum unconstitutional," and described Cuccinelli’s comments about multiple constitutional challenges.

BBC reported that President Donald Trump claimed the Virginia redistricting election was "rigged," posting, "A RIGGED ELECTION TOOK PLACE LAST NIGHT," and referencing a "massive 'Mail In Ballot Drop!'" claim.

CNN quoted Virginia House Speaker Don Scott saying, "Virginia just kicked Donald Trump’s ass," and also quoted Scott’s argument that Trump’s call helped Democrats, with Scott saying, "All he did was wake Virginians up and let them understand the threat that he is."

Across the coverage, the court order became a focal point for both sides as they prepared to litigate.

Different outlets emphasized different aspects of the same Virginia redistricting battle, from legal mechanics to national political stakes and campaign messaging.

CNBC framed the referendum as part of a “partisan gerrymandering war” leading up to November’s midterm elections and described the referendum as a temporary adoption of new district lines that would return control to an independent commission in 2031.

CNBC

WJLA focused on the judge’s order and the procedural posture, saying the judge blocked certification as unconstitutional and that the Virginia Supreme Court overruled two previous orders from the circuit court.

BBC emphasized Trump’s claims and the broader national context, reporting that Trump posted, "A RIGGED ELECTION TOOK PLACE LAST NIGHT," and also describing the House balance of power as “217 Republicans, 212 Democrats and one independent.”

The Atlantic took a different approach, arguing that the Virginia map “disenfranchises” Republicans and asserting that “Gerrymandering is an attempt to thwart the will of the voters,” while also discussing Rucho v. Common Cause and Louisiana v. Callais.

Al-Jazeera Net framed the referendum as a strategic turning point for Democrats, describing the redrawing tool as giving Democrats a “strategic boost” and tying it to a national arms race that extends “from coast to coast.”

CNN highlighted campaign spending and messaging, reporting that the map’s proponents spent more than $56.4 million on advertising through Tuesday morning and that the opposition spent $24.6 million, and it also described Trump’s call to “VIRGINIA, VOTE ‘NO’ TO SAVE YOUR COUNTRY!”

Vox framed the “score” of the redistricting wars and described Virginia’s vote as a loss for Trump in a defining fight, while also discussing how the “Yes” side relied on former President Barack Obama and the “No” side ran ads that also featured earlier clips of Obama decrying gerrymandering.

Le Monde emphasized the referendum date—Tuesday, April 21—and described the yes side winning “more than 51%,” while also noting that the stakes were “four seats in the House of Representatives.”

Across these accounts, the same court order and referendum results were placed into different narratives about legality, national strategy, and political messaging.

The court fight over Virginia’s referendum feeds into a broader sequence of upcoming legal and political steps described across the coverage.

CNBC said Hurley enjoined the state from taking actions to update or alter election districts, or voter registration records as a result of the referendum, while also reporting that Hurley’s final judgment came Wednesday and that Jones would appeal to the Court of Appeals.

CNN

WJLA said the state’s highest court is still expected to hear those cases, and BBC reported that the state has said it will appeal.

Fox News said a final order would be entered once drafted and that it would be immediately appealed, and it also quoted Ken Cuccinelli saying there are four constitutional challenges making their way through the courts.

CNN said Republicans indicated they will continue to pursue legal challenges to the Virginia plan, including an avenue in the state Supreme Court.

NPR said the move still faces court challenges but could put Democrats ahead in tilting House seats “for now,” and it pointed to Florida as a potential next battleground.

CNBC similarly described Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis calling a special session of the GOP-led state legislature for later this month to re-draw congressional districts.

Al-Jazeera Net described the Virginia move as part of a national pattern, saying Democrats seek to repeat the experiment in Florida after California, while Republicans have already succeeded in changing district maps in Texas, North Carolina, Missouri, and Ohio.

Across these accounts, the immediate next step is litigation over whether the referendum can be certified and implemented, while the longer arc is a continuing redistricting arms race that could reshape House control before November.