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Senior Democrats tied calls for sweeping court reforms to recent Supreme Court rulings and escalating redistricting battles unfolding ahead of the 2026 elections.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Two top House Democrats said Wednesday that the party intends to pursue sweeping judicial reforms, including possible changes involving the U.S. Supreme Court, if Democrats regain control of the House of Representatives in the upcoming midterm elections.
Rep. Ted Lieu of California, vice chair of the House Democratic Caucus, argued during a press conference that recent Supreme Court decisions have intensified concerns among Democrats about the direction of the judiciary and the role of the Court in election-related disputes.
“It’s going to usher in massive Supreme Court reform when Democrats take control,” Lieu said Wednesday. He further described the current Supreme Court as “the most partisan” in American history and criticized Chief Justice John Roberts as what he called an “extreme political actor.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries later echoed broader calls for institutional changes during a separate press conference focused on Democratic priorities should the party reclaim the majority in Congress.
“In addition to focusing on the economy, focusing on making life better for the American people and focusing on driving down the high cost of living, we need massive electoral reform, massive campaign finance reform, and massive judicial reform,” Jeffries said. “And that will also be an important part of what we’ll need to do, as Democrats in the majority, on behalf of the American people, in the next Congress.”
While Jeffries did not specifically reference restructuring the Supreme Court in his later remarks, he separately commented on ongoing legal disputes involving redistricting and said Democrats lacked confidence in the Court’s neutrality.
“It’s not as if we have great faith in the fairness of the United States Supreme Court, but will let the process play itself out,” Jeffries said when discussing current litigation over congressional maps.
Neither Democratic leader outlined specific reforms they would pursue if the party regains control of the House.
Previous Democratic proposals involving the federal judiciary have included expanding the number of Supreme Court justices, imposing term limits, establishing a binding ethics code, and limiting the Court’s jurisdiction over certain categories of cases.
Former President Joe Biden formally endorsed several reform measures in July 2024 through a public proposal, including an enforceable ethics code for justices, 18-year term limits, and a constitutional amendment aimed at limiting presidential immunity protections established by recent Supreme Court rulings.
Biden previously resisted structural changes to the Court and had created a commission in 2021 to study reform proposals, though that panel ultimately did not recommend major restructuring measures. None of Biden’s 2024 proposals advanced through Congress.
The latest Democratic comments come amid intensifying legal and political battles over congressional redistricting following recent Supreme Court rulings involving the Voting Rights Act and race-based district drawing.
Lieu specifically cited the Court’s decision in Louisiana v. Callais, arguing the ruling would weaken enforcement of the Voting Rights Act.
The case involved challenges to Louisiana’s congressional districts and addressed the role race may play in redistricting decisions. In its April 29 ruling, the Supreme Court held that lower courts improperly interpreted federal voting rights protections in ways that required states to engage in race-based districting practices that could conflict with constitutional protections.
The decision has already prompted several states, including Tennessee, to reconsider or redraw congressional maps ahead of the 2026 election cycle.
Republicans broadly praised the ruling, arguing it reaffirmed that redistricting should not prioritize race as the dominant factor in map drawing.
Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton said earlier this month that the Court had indicated redistricting should be “color-blind” while also affirming states’ authority to draw districts based on partisan considerations.
The broader redistricting fight has become one of the most significant political battles ahead of the next congressional elections.
According to current projections referenced during the debate, Republicans believe ongoing redistricting efforts could potentially create 14 additional competitive House seats favorable to the GOP, compared to six that could favor Democrats.
Democratic leaders also have faced scrutiny over their own redistricting discussions.
Jeffries was questioned Wednesday about reports involving a recent call with members of Virginia’s congressional delegation after the state’s Supreme Court struck down a redistricting referendum proposal.
A New York Times report, citing an anonymous source, alleged the discussion involved potential efforts to replace the Virginia Supreme Court in order to revisit disputed congressional maps.
Jeffries confirmed the call took place but declined to discuss its contents publicly.
“The conversation that I had with members of the Virginia congressional delegation will remain a private conversation with members of the Virginia congressional delegation,” Jeffries said.
He added that Democrats believed they could still gain “2 or 3 seats” in Virginia regardless of whether the current court ruling remains in place.
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