Virginia Democratic Attorney General Jay Jones has already vowed to appeal the ruling by a Tazewell Circuit Court, which granted a temporary restraining order requested by the Republican National Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee. The plaintiffs argue that the ballot referendum’s timing and phrasing are illegal.
The court's decision on Thursday, while temporary, could kill the referendum for this year if it withstands appeal. The restraining order is in effect until March 18 and early voting is slated to start March 6.
The Republican request for a restraining order — also signed by Republican U.S. Reps. Ben Cline and Morgan Griffith — argued that Democrats were ramming redistricting-related bills through the legislature despite legal hurdles that prevent such a rushed process.
In a statement, the GOP national committee said the latest ruling was “a massive win in defending honest representation for every Virginian.”
It’s the second time Tazewell Circuit Court Judge Jack Hurley Jr. has ruled against Democrats’ redistricting agenda. In January, he ruled that a resolution for a constitutional amendment was illegally passed in a special legislative session and taken up too close to an intervening election.
