Washington — The Virginia Supreme Court on Friday tossed out a congressional redistricting referendum passed by Virginia voters last month, striking a blow to Democrats hoping to gain a more favorable map and increase their number of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. 

The decision overturns voters’ approval of a new congressional map that would have given Democrats an advantage in 10 House districts, leaving just one safe Republican seat. Although both of Virginia’s U.S. senators are Democrats, its House delegation is split with six Democratic representatives and five Republican representatives. 

“We hold that the legislative process employed to advance this proposal violated Article XII, Section 1 of the Constitution of Virginia,” the opinion says. “This constitutional violation incurably taints the resulting referendum vote and nullifies its legal efficacy.” 

Virginia Senate Republican Leader Ryan T. McDougle praised the court’s decision in Scott v. McDougle.

“The Supreme Court ruling today affirms what we all know: you cannot violate the Constitution to change the Constitution,” McDougle said. “The justices of the Supreme Court of Virginia after careful and thorough review of this matter affirmed that even the General Assembly must follow the law.”

Democratic Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates Don Scott said, “We respect the decision of the Supreme Court of Virginia. I’m proud that Virginians came out in historic numbers, made their voices heard, and sent a message not just here at home — but across the country — to Donald Trump and his administration.”

For his part, President Trump praised the decision as a “huge win for the Republican Party, and America, in Virginia.”