A Virginia judge's decision to strike down a redistricting referendum temporarily halts what he described as an aggressive Democratic Party effort to reshape congressional maps ahead of the midterm elections, Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., said on Newsmax, Thursday.
"We're a little bit concerned, obviously," Donalds told "Wake Up America." "Even if you read the ballot language that Virginians had to decide, it was the most convoluted, confusing thing I've ever read in my life to ever be on a ballot. And it was by design."
A Virginia Circuit Court judge ruled the referendum unconstitutional, blocking, for now, Democrat-backed changes that could have shifted several congressional seats. State officials have said they plan to appeal the decision.
Donalds criticized the proposed maps, saying they would redraw districts in Northern Virginia in ways that would benefit Democrats.
"If you look at their new map that they want to push forward, they basically take pieces of Northern Virginia and strip those pieces out to the suburbs and rural Virginia to make Democrat seats," he said. "This is insanity."
He added that similar redistricting efforts have occurred in other states, citing Illinois and Massachusetts.
"The judge, I think, did the right thing," Donalds said. "If you look at that ballot language, that's just an insane way to tell the voters what you're going to do."
Turning to Florida, Donalds said state leaders are expected to review congressional maps, possibly during a special legislative session. He said any changes would reflect the state's political trends.
"They're going to go back, look at our maps, and make sure that those maps represent the will of the people of Florida," he said, adding that the state has trended more Republican in recent years.
Donalds also said he does not expect Florida's approach to mirror what he described as more aggressive redistricting efforts elsewhere.
"Florida's always made sure that communities are contiguous," he said.
On federal matters, Donalds said the House is expected to pass legislation funding the Department of Homeland Security through the budget reconciliation process after the Senate approved a measure early Thursday.
"It will come to the House, the House will pass it out and will fund the Department of Homeland Security," he said.
He criticized Democrats over the ongoing partial shutdown affecting DHS operations, citing impacts on agencies such as the Transportation Security Administration and Customs and Border Protection.
Donalds also weighed in on comments from Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., regarding reports of Iranian ships evading a U.S. blockade, calling the remarks inappropriate.
"You have a sitting United States senator who's rooting against our military overseas," he said. "This is nuts."
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