Judge strikes down Virginia Democrats’ plan to redraw congressional districts

Ruling is a setback for Democrats looking to increase number of seats in midterm House elections in November

A Virginia judge ruled on Tuesday that a proposed constitutional amendment letting Democrats redraw the state's congressional maps was illegal, setting back the party's efforts to pick up seats in the US House in November.

Tazewell circuit court judge Jack Hurley Jr struck down the legislature's actions on three grounds, including finding that lawmakers failed to follow their own rules for adding the redistricting amendment to a special session.