ABC Doesn't Challenge Newsom's 'Rigged System' Claim

Alex Christy
May 9th, 2026 12:07 PM

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After the Virginia Supreme Court struck down the state’s 10-1 Democratic gerrymander on Friday, ABC Washington correspondent Jonathan Karl joined World News Tonight to omit why the court ruled the way it did. By contrast, CBS Evening News host Tony Dokoupil referenced the ruling that held state Democrats violated the rules in how the map was drawn and put to voters, but then national and White House correspondent Ed O’Keefe joined Karl in trying to tie Virginia’s ruling to Southern states’ redistricting after the Supreme Court’s VRA ruling.

Karl began his report by teeing up a clip of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, “Today, a big blow to Democrats. With the midterms fast approaching, Virginia's Supreme Court struck down a new congressional map that would have created four House seats that Democrats likely would have won. Virginia voters approved the new map last month.”

 

 

After a video of Jeffries declaring the result to be "a big victory for America and a big victory for democracy,” Karl continued, “But today, the court ruled that the Virginia legislature violated the state's constitution when it put the map on the ballot and struck it down. President Trump called the decision a "huge win for the Republican Party and America.’”

By contrast, “California Governor Gavin Newsom fumed that Republicans were overturning the will of the voters, saying that's been their playbook in other states, too, writing, quote, ‘MAGA has rigged the system.’ This comes as both parties battle for advantage, an unprecedented race to redraw congressional lines before November's elections. 

Accusations of rigging an election are extremely serious, but Karl just let Newsom’s statement stand without any rebuttal. How many timeas ABC said Trump did something “without evidence”? Instead, Karl moved on, and talking over B-roll footage of Louisiana mobs shouting, “Shut it down!” in the capitol hallways, continued, “Republican lawmakers are now racing to redraw districts in the Deep South. This was the scene today in Louisiana.”

Also talking over footage of hooliganism in Tennessee, Karl added, “Republican effort there comes after the Supreme Court rolled back a key provision of the Voting Rights Act that led to majority black districts across the South.”

Karl concluded by observing, “All this sets the stage for an all-out battle for control of Congress in November. Democrats are still considered the favorites to win back control of the House, but that effort just got a little harder. Meanwhile, Virginia Democrats say they will appeal today's ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court.”

After Dokoupil’s introduction, which included a brief description of SCOVA’s reasoning, O’Keefe wrapped up his week of redistricting reporting by simply noting that the Virginia referendum “saw more than $80 million spent, 3 million votes cast, and would have given Democrats up to four more House seats after November's elections is now nullified, but late today, Virginia Democrats said they plan to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.”

 

 

Moving south, O’Keefe wrapped up, “The Virginia decision comes as protests broke out in Louisiana today as legislators debated a new map that drops one of the state's two majority black districts. And it comes a day after chaos erupted in Tennessee as Republicans voted to eliminate the state's only Democratic house seat. Tonight in Alabama the Republican governor signed a bill changing that state's map, but only if the Supreme Court grants permission. Republicans, as you said, now have the edge, Tony, in redrawn states but ultimately voters are going to decide who wins after November.”

Virginia’s redistricting was a straight-up power play that got blocked. By contrast, for years, Democrats have grown accustomed to having legally guaranteed seats in the South because of the premise that racism is still as bad today as it was in 1965. When the Supreme Court said that is obviously not true, it opened the door for Southern states to draw their maps just like every other state has for decades.

Here are transcripts for the May 8 shows:

ABC World News Tonight

5/8/2026

6:41 PM ET

JONATHAN KARL: Today, a big blow to Democrats. With the midterms fast approaching, Virginia's Supreme Court struck down a new congressional map that would have created four House seats that Democrats likely would have won. Virginia voters approved the new map last month.

HAKEEM JEFFRIES: A big victory for America and a big victory for democracy.

KARL: But today, the court ruled that the Virginia legislature violated the state's constitution when it put the map on the ballot and struck it down. President Trump called the decision a “huge win for the Republican Party and America.”

California Governor Gavin Newsom fumed that Republicans were overturning the will of the voters, saying that's been their playbook in other states, too, writing, quote, “MAGA has rigged the system.”

This comes as both parties battle for advantage, an unprecedented race to redraw congressional lines before November's elections. 

CROWD: Shut it down!

KARL: Republican lawmakers are now racing to redraw districts in the Deep South. This was the scene today in Louisiana.

CROWD: Shut it down!

KARL: Republican effort there comes after the Supreme Court rolled back a key provision of the Voting Rights Act that led to majority black districts across the South.

All this sets the stage for an all-out battle for control of Congress in November. Democrats are still considered the favorites to win back control of the House, but that effort just got a little harder. Meanwhile, Virginia Democrats say they will appeal today's ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court. David.

***

CBS Evening News

5/8/2026

6:40 PM ET

ED O’KEEFE: Tony, a referendum that saw more than $80 million spent, 3 million votes cast, and would have given Democrats up to four more House seats after November's elections is now nullified, but late today, Virginia Democrats said they plan to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The Virginia decision comes as protests broke out in Louisiana today as legislators debated a new map that drops one of the state's two majority black districts. And it comes a day after chaos erupted in Tennessee as Republicans voted to eliminate the state's only Democratic house seat. Tonight in Alabama the Republican governor signed a bill changing that state's map, but only if the Supreme Court grants permission. Republicans, as you said, now have the edge, Tony, in redrawn states but ultimately voters are going to decide who wins after November.

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