Virginians vote on Democratic map targeting 4 Republican congressional seats

Source: Reuters

April 21, 2026 6:02 AM EDT Updated 1 hour ago


April 21 (Reuters) - Virginians head to the polls on Tuesday to vote on a new Democratic-drawn congressional map for November's midterm ​elections that could flip four Republican seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, after both parties spent tens of millions ‌of dollars in a campaign over the referendum.

Virginia is the latest battleground in an unprecedented national redistricting fight that began last summer, when U.S. President Donald Trump successfully urged Texas Republicans to install a new congressional map that took aim at five Democratic incumbents. Since then, states controlled by both parties have launched their own redistricting efforts, leading ​to a near-draw thus far.

Even a few seats could prove decisive: Democrats need to flip only three Republican districts in ​the 435-seat U.S. House in November to capture a majority, which would allow the party to conduct investigations ⁠into Trump's administration and block his legislative agenda. Democrats currently hold six of Virginia's 11 House seats, but the new map would give them ​the edge in all but one.

Redistricting typically occurs at the end of each decade to reflect population changes recorded in the U.S. Census. State lawmakers ​have historically used that process to draw districts that are more favorable to their party, a strategy known as partisan gerrymandering. Reflecting the stakes, both parties have poured money into the Virginia race, with Democrats spending far more than Republicans. Most of the funds have come from so-called "dark money" political groups that are not required to ​disclose their donors.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/virginians-vote-democratic-map-targeting-4-republican-congressional-seats-2026-04-21/