Hakeem Jeffries vows 2028 gerrymandering push after Virginia court setback
Updated
Updated · CNN · May 8
Hakeem Jeffries vows 2028 gerrymandering push after Virginia court setback
12 articles · Updated · CNN · May 8
After Virginia's Supreme Court voided Democrats' House map, Jeffries named New York, New Jersey, Washington, Colorado, Oregon, Maryland and Illinois as 2028 targets.
He said Democrats could still flip at least two Virginia Republican seats this year and were weighing legislative, state-court and federal-court options after losing a map that might have yielded four gains.
Jeffries argued Democrats can still retake the House in November despite Republicans redrawing maps in six states, part of a wider redistricting fight intensified after court rulings on voting rights.
Why are states in an unusual wave of mid-decade redistricting, and what does it mean for voters?
How will a new Supreme Court standard on voting rights now redefine the drawing of America's electoral maps?
After a court nullified a $5 million vote, what is the future for voter-driven constitutional amendments?
State-Level Redistricting Wars Set to Decide Control of U.S. House in 2028
Overview
In May 2026, the Virginia Supreme Court struck down a Democratic-backed redistricting referendum due to a procedural flaw, ordering the use of the 2021 congressional maps that favor Republicans for the November elections. This ruling, combined with the Supreme Court's weakening of the Voting Rights Act, prompted House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries to launch a national counteroffensive. His strategy includes pushing New York to amend its constitution to allow mid-decade redistricting and challenging Republican maps in Florida under state anti-gerrymandering laws. These moves reflect a broader shift toward aggressive partisan redistricting, fueled by a permissive legal environment that has emboldened both parties to intensify their battles over congressional maps.