Harris accuses Trump, Republicans of attempting to 'rig 2026 midterm' after Virginia redistricting ruling

Former US Vice President Kamala Harris accused US President Donald Trump and Republicans of attempting to "rig the 2026 midterm elections". Harris made the remarks after the Virginia Supreme Court invalidated a voter-approved redistricting referendum.

Harris argued that the ruling "gave a boost" to the Trump administration's efforts to steal the upcoming polls. "Today, the Virginia Supreme Court ignored the will of the people and overturned those democratically chosen maps," Harris wrote on X on May 8.

"This ruling gives a boost to Donald Trump's effort to rig the 2026 elections and the Republicans' long game to attack voting rights," she added. The ruling was seen as a significant victory for Republicans ahead of the 2026 midterms and escalated an already intensifying national battle over redistricting and control of Congress.

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"We hold that the legislative process employed to advance this proposal violated Article XII, Section 1 of the Constitution of Virginia," the state’s high court said in its decision. "This constitutional violation incurably taints the resulting referendum vote and nullifies its legal efficacy."

Why it matters

The measure in question was passed by a narrow 51 per cent to 49 per cent margin. It would have temporarily shifted redistricting authority from Virginia’s nonpartisan commission to the Democrat-controlled legislature through 2030 and was expected to yield a 10-1 Democratic advantage in the state’s congressional delegation.

Trump lauded the state supreme court's decision in a post on TruthSocial. He called it a "Huge win for the Republican Party, and America, in Virginia." "The Virginia Supreme Court has just struck down the Democrats’ horrible gerrymander," he wrote.

Meanwhile, Democrats sharply slammed the ruling, with Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin saying, "a group of unelected judges on the Virginia Supreme Court chose to put partisan politics over the will of the people."

Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones also pushed back, saying the decision "silences the voices of the millions of Virginians who cast their ballots" and that his office is evaluating "every legal pathway forward."

In her post, Harris echoed the sentiment, stating: "We are rightfully outraged, but we will not give up. We must continue our fight to restore the power of the people." His comments came at a time when she had stepped up attacks on Trump in recent appearances while facing renewed questions about her political future.

While addressing an event in Las Vegas, Harris said, "For far too many people in our country, the American dream is not real. And in fact, for many people in their lived experience, it's what they would consider an American myth." She also declined to downplay Trump, saying, "I’m not going to dismiss him as being an idiot. He’s dangerous."