House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries is facing mounting criticism following the Virginia Supreme Court’s decision to strike down the state’s newly approved congressional map, with Republicans accusing Democrats of overreaching in a high-stakes redistricting battle that ultimately collapsed in court.

The controversy intensified after conservatives resurfaced comments Jeffries made while defending the now-invalidated maps, which Democrats believed could have delivered a major advantage in the battle for control of the U.S. House. In a 4-3 ruling earlier this month, the Virginia Supreme Court invalidated the voter-approved congressional map, finding that Democratic lawmakers violated procedural requirements under the state constitution when placing the referendum on the ballot.