(The Center Square) – Democratic leaders in the Virginia General Assembly say they have reached agreement on a new congressional redistricting plan that would produce a 10–1 split, describing the move as a response to redistricting efforts underway in other states.
Virginia’s current congressional delegation is split with six Democrats and five Republicans.
House Speaker Don Scott and Senate President Pro Tempore Louise Lucas said Thursday the proposal is intended to “level the playing field” as Republican states move forward with mid-decade redistricting ahead of the 2026 elections.
House Republican leaders said they would not comment on the proposed maps until they are seen.
The state is one of 20 that doesn’t require voters to affiliate with a party when registering. In the 2024 presidential race, Democrat Kamala Harris won 51.8% of the more than 4.5 million votes and Republican Donald Trump 46.1%.
Scott cited redistricting actions in states including Texas, North Carolina and Missouri, saying Democratic leaders believe those efforts are reshaping congressional representation nationwide and that Virginia should respond.
The U.S. House of Representatives was a 220-215 Republican majority following the 2024 election. Today there are three vacancies and it is 218-214.
Lucas said lawmakers have been working to finalize the proposal and repeatedly emphasized the 10–1 breakdown as central to the agreement, saying the maps are ready and will be released publicly.
Scott also said the effort was tied to actions he said were encouraged by President Donald Trump ahead of the 2026 elections.
The announcement follows a recent court ruling that blocked a separate attempt to fast-track a constitutional amendment tied to middecade redistricting, with a judge finding lawmakers did not follow required procedures. That decision has been appealed, and the legal process remains ongoing.
Lawmakers said the maps are expected to be released publicly by the end of the day Thursday or early Friday so they can be reviewed and debated openly.
As of late Thursday afternoon, however, no draft congressional maps had been released publicly.
