A Virginia judge on Thursday blocked an April 21 referendum in the state on redrawing the state's congressional maps, marking the latest legal hurdle in a string of challenges to the Democratic-led initiative.

The Tazewell County Circuit Court ordered a halt to voting after the Republican National Committee and state GOP filed a challenge to the vote. 

Rep. Ben Cline, R-Va., celebrated the ruling, saying "the Democrats' unfair redistricting scheme is illegal. We are grateful that the court has agreed and swiftly applied justice to stop this unconstitutional power grab that would disenfranchise millions of Virginia voters by reassigning them members Congress from other parts of the state."

It remains unclear how the referendum will proceed, though the state Supreme Court has previously declined to block the vote altogether and a separate case is expected to continue on the merits.

Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent at Just the News. Follow him on X.