Robert Wittman

Rep. Rob Wittman, R-Va., praised the Supreme Court’s decision Friday to reject an emergency request from Virginia Democrats seeking to implement a newly approved congressional map that would have favored their party in the 2026 midterms, arguing the ruling reaffirmed legal precedent and the authority of state courts.

Speaking on Newsmax TV’s “Saturday Agenda,” Wittman said the high court correctly determined the dispute did not involve a federal issue and appropriately deferred to the Virginia Supreme Court’s earlier ruling striking down the referendum tied to the proposed redistricting plan.

“Well I think the Supreme Court saw that there was no federal jurisdiction there,” Wittman said.

“And they saw that the Virginia Supreme Court ruled properly on the constitutional provisions about whether or not this referendum was both constitutional and legal.”

The Supreme Court on Friday denied an emergency appeal from Democratic officials who wanted the new congressional map used in the upcoming elections.

The map was expected to give Democrats an advantage in several competitive districts as Republicans work to defend their narrow House majority.

Wittman said the lower court rulings were firmly grounded in Virginia law and constitutional procedure.

“I think it was a very sound ruling,” he said.

“If you read the lower court ruling, it was very sound too on the four points that it found the referendum both unconstitutional and illegal.”

Virginia’s Supreme Court had previously ruled against the referendum authorizing the new map, finding flaws in the process used to advance the proposal.

The state court decision effectively blocked implementation of the redistricting plan before Democrats sought emergency intervention from the U.S. Supreme Court.

Wittman argued the nation’s highest court correctly upheld that decision by declining to intervene.

“That was upheld by the Virginia Supreme Court and in turn the U.S. Supreme Court upheld that,” Wittman said. “So legal precedent was followed and the rule of law is alive and well.”

The dispute over Virginia’s congressional map comes as control of the House is expected to hinge on a small number of competitive districts nationwide.

Republicans currently hold a narrow majority in the chamber, and both parties are aggressively contesting maps and election procedures ahead of the midterms.

Redistricting battles have intensified across several states in recent years, with both Democrats and Republicans pursuing legal challenges over congressional boundaries that could shape the balance of power in Washington for years to come.

Virginia remains one of several politically divided states where closely contested House races are expected to draw heavy national attention in 2026.

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