Harris claims Virginia redistricting ruling helps Trump rig 2026 elections

Former Vice President Kamala Harris accused President Donald Trump and Republicans of trying to “rig the 2026 election” after the Virginia Supreme Court invalidated a voter-approved redistricting referendum and said the ruling would “give a boost” to that effort.

“Today the Virginia Supreme Court ignored the will of the people and overturned democratically elected maps,” Harris wrote on X on May 8.

“This decision adds momentum to Donald Trump’s efforts to rig the 2026 election and his long game to attack Republican voting rights,” he added.

The decision marked a significant victory for Republicans ahead of the 2026 midterm elections and escalated an already intensifying national fight over redistricting and control of Congress.

VIRGINIA SUPREME COURT RULES RELATING TO THE NEW CONGRESSIVE MAP.

“We hold that the legislative process employed to advance this proposal violates Article XII, Section 1 of the Virginia Constitution,” the state supreme court said in its decision. he said. “This constitutional violation irreparably taints the resulting referendum vote and invalidates its legal validity.”

The measure, which passed by a narrow margin of 51% to 49%, would temporarily shift redistricting authority from Virginia’s nonpartisan commission to the Democrat-controlled legislature through 2030 and was expected to give Democrats a 10-to-1 advantage in the state’s congressional delegation.

Trump praised the decision in a post on Truth Social, calling it “a huge victory in Virginia for the Republican Party and America.”

‘JUSTICE’: CELEBRATORY, TESTIMONY SHARED AT THE END OF SPANBERGER ‘GERRYMANDER’ WAS EXPLODED IN A BOX-BOX-RECORD DECISION

Former Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a fireside chat at MEET Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nev., on May 7, 2026. (Ian Maule/Getty Images)

“The Virginia Supreme Court just struck down the Democrats’ terrible gerrymander,” he wrote.

Democrats harshly criticized the decision. Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin said “a group of unelected justices on the Virginia Supreme Court have chosen to put partisan politics ahead of the will of the people.”

Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones also pushed back, saying the decision “silenced the voices of millions of Virginians who voted” and that his office was considering “every legal path forward.”

ERIC HOLDER ACCUSES GOP OF ‘SEAT-STEALING’ WHILE DEFENDING ‘FAIR’ DEMOCRATIC REDISTRIBUTION PUSH

A person votes in the Virginia redistricting referendum at the Fairfax Government Center on April 21, 2026 in Fairfax, Virginia. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP)

Harris echoed this sentiment in her post, writing: “We are rightfully angry, but we will not give up. We must continue our fight to restore people’s power.”

His comments come as he faces renewed questions about his political future as he has recently stepped up attacks on Trump.

At a recent event in Las Vegas, Harris said: “For many people in our country, the American dream is unreal. In fact, many people, in their own lived experience, it is something they would consider an American myth.”

KAMALA HARRIS’ TRAVELS AND COMMENTS CLEARLY INDICATE TO 2028

The approved referendum could result in a 10-to-1 advantage for Democrats in Virginia’s congressional delegation, down from the current 6-5 edge, if the court does not overturn that advantage as a result. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo)

He also refused to belittle Trump, saying, “I’m not going to dismiss him as an idiot. He’s dangerous.”

At the same time, top Democrats have been reluctant to weigh in on whether Harris will lead the party in 2028.

“I have no idea,” Rep. Jim Clyburn, D.C., told Fox News Digital when asked about his future.

“I have no idea who is running, and after 2026, we will focus on 2028,” said Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y.

Rep. John Larson, D-Conn., said the decision is ultimately up to Harris, but added that he believes Democrats should have a “broad primary for Democrats.”

The Virginia decision is the latest flashpoint in a broader redistricting fight as both parties position themselves ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

Harris, on the other hand, signaled that she plans to stay engaged.

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“I firmly and strongly believe that when you feel powerless, you are powerless,” Harris said. “And when you feel strong, you are strong. And we are strong and we are strong. So let’s show our strength to ourselves, to each other, in the midterms and every day.”

Fox News Digital’s Breanne Deppisch, Leo Briceno, Olivia Palombo and Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.