Virginia’s victory good for Democrats but also shows Trump’s redistricting battle could be all for nothing

Democrats within reach of House majority after voters rebel against Republican gerrymandering

• Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inbox

Months into his second term, Donald Trump wagered that he could beat the historic trend of the party in power losing seats in midterm elections if Republican-led states redrew congressional maps to sweep Democrats out of office.

The gamble is looking to be a bust, or at best a draw, for the president, after Democrats fought back with their own redistricting efforts, the latest of which came to fruition in Virginia on Tuesday, when voters approved a plan that could remove all but one of the five Republicans in its current House of Representatives delegation.