Virginia Democrats are attempting to create a new congressional map in 2026 that could help them win four new seats.

Amid efforts in other states to make maps more favorable to Democrats or Republicans, Virginia House of Delegates Speaker Don Scott outlined the state’s plans to do the same at a meeting of the Virginia Property Owners Alliance.

Scott said President Donald Trump was “bullying” other states to redraw their congressional maps, causing Virginia to do the same. “We didn’t want to have to do this,” he said. “This was done because Donald Trump told Texas, Indiana, North Carolina—our neighbors—to rig their elections.”

The speaker said a new map could change the balance of the state legislature from six Democrats and five Republicans to 10 Democrats and one Republican, meaning Democrats would gain four more seats.

Newsweek contacted the Democratic Party of Virginia and the Republican Party of Virginia for comment outside normal business hours.

Why It Matters

Republicans and Democrats have been engaged in a redistricting war over the past few months, with both parties attempting to draw new state maps to affect the results of future votes.

Redistricting could have a major effect on upcoming elections—including the November 2026 midterms, which would affect the balance of power in Congress and, in turn, Trump’s ability to carry out his agenda. Republicans have a 219-213 majority in the House of Representatives, which is set to narrow further in January when Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia resigns, placing greater importance on each seat.

What To Know

Virginia’s redistricting plans were first reported in October when Democrats in the state legislature recommended an amendment that would allow it to bypass the bipartisan commission the draws Virginia’s maps.

Scott said changing the makeup of Virginia’s state delegation from six Democrats and five Republicans to 10 Democrats and one Republican was “not out of the realm” with new maps.

Mark Shanahan, who teaches American politics at the University of Surrey in the U.K., told Newsweek: “The Virginia plans are contingent on what happens in other states. If these remain mired in court action, it’s unlikely Virginia’s plans will progress. The mid-decade redistricting began as a Trump-inspired move to secure the House for the GOP, but as well as being caught up in legal challenges, every red state move is being matched by blue states. It’s less and less likely that redistricting will deliver a decisive result in 2026.”

On November 4, California voters passed Proposition 50, an amendment put forth by Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom in response to Texas’ redistricting efforts. The proposition would temporarily revise the state’s congressional map, a move expected to boost Democrats in future elections.

Republican lawmakers in Louisiana have also recently moved forward with plans that could allow mid-decade redistricting ahead of next year’s midterm elections. But similar efforts have faced issues in other states, including Texas, where federal judges ruled against a Republican-drawn congressional map.

The three-judge panel wrote in the ruling, “Substantial evidence shows that Texas racially gerrymandered the 2025 Map.” Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has said he will file an appeal with the Supreme Court and ask for a stay of the order.

What People Are Saying

Virginia Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, a Democrat, told WAMU’s The Politics Hour on November 7: “There’s two seats that are pretty obviously in play. And after that it’ll probably get pretty hard, but you know, anything’s possible.”

What Happens Next

For the Virginia redistricting to go ahead, there would have to be an election on whether to adopt the amendment allowing the legislature to redraw maps.

Meanwhile, redistricting conflicts are likely to intensify as the midterms approach. Republican-led Florida is also considering redistricting plans, while New Jersey Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill, a Democrat, has said she is open to it.

College football programs across the country were hustling today as they navigated the early signing period. Among the programs was, of course, UVA. Head coach Tony Elliott sat down with the media today to discuss the incoming players and where his program is heading. With the day quickly coming to an end, here are three takeaways from the early signing period.

Elliott Strives to Mix the Offensive Line

During his press conference this afternoon, Elliott explained the difficulty that comes with trying to develop the offensive line. As a result, he is aiming to mix the high school players while also utilizing the portal; this will likely put UVA in the best possible position ahead of their 2026 campaign.

“… I would love to have a bunch of high school guys that you’re developing. But you’re seeing it all across college football. What’s happening is, man, your depth really gets challenged, especially late in the season,” said Elliott. “And we all know that offensive line is the group that takes probably the longest to develop, just because it’s such a big transition going from the high school game to the college game, from a size standpoint, speed of game, strength, knowledge, execution, all of that. So we want to continue to identify high school guys and have them developing, but also we’re going to have to supplement with the portal.”

Quarterback Position Is in Question

As announced on Wednesday, Virginia’s star quarterback Chandler Morris is looking to gain an additional year of eligibility. While this is still in the works and remains unofficial, this could potentially result in excellent news for the Cavaliers. Morris has consistently served as one of UVA’s leaders — retaining him would be ideal, but the chances appear to be rather slim. However, Elliott feels confident that Ely Hamrick will be able to carry the weight in the case that Morris is out. As he stated:

“Yeah, there’s been some talks with Chandler of possibly, still that’s to be determined. So not going to say if that’s going to happen or not. So we’re planning as if it’s not. So we want to continue to bring in guys. I think the quarterback position, you’re going to have to recruit that position every single year…”

A Successful Football Season Brings a Successful Recruiting Season

Unsurprisingly, college football programs with a record as impressive as Virginia’s end up capturing quite a bit of attention. It’s no secret that UVA has had a spectacular 2025 campaign, and now Elliott is starting to see it translate into his recruitment. The Cavaliers have carved out a new name for themselves this year, and they’ve become an imposing team to face. UVA has been using this new footing to its advantage.

“… I’m very hopeful and optimistic that we’ll be able to get in a conversation with some guys that maybe in the past when you said Virginia, it’s like, okay, good academic school, but I’m focusing on bigger football,” Elliott stated. “I think now with what we’ve experienced this season, in Scott Stadium with with the fans filling up the seats and creating an unbelievable environment to play in the success on the field man. You’re in conversation for the postseason. So I think it’s going to get us to the table and we started to see that before like you look at some of the top players in the state, that are leaving the state.”

Although much of the college football world has been focused on the early signing period, it shouldn’t be forgotten that UVA’s ACC Championship Game is right around the corner. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. EST against the Duke Blue Devils in Charlotte.

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