CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. — Former President Donald Trump called into a Republican campaign rally in Chesterfield after a federal judge Friday ordered Virginia to restore more than 1,600 voter registrations.
The judge ordered a temporary stoppage on the Virginia program she said violated federal law by removing around 1,600 people — suspected of being noncitizens — from the state's voter rolls.
WATCH: Judge orders Virginia to restore 1,600 voter registrations purged ahead of the election
The Justice Department and private groups, including the League of Women Voters, said many of the 1,600 voters whose registrations were canceled were in fact citizens whose registrations were canceled because of bureaucratic errors or simple mistakes like a mischecked box on a form.
The injunction was sought by the Justice Department, which claimed the voter registrations were wrongly canceled during a 90-day quiet period ahead of the November election that restricts states from making large-scale changes to their voter rolls to prevent errors.
The former president, who called into Saturday’s GOP rally for roughly 10 minutes, praised Gov. Glenn Youngkin's efforts.
"I just want to thank Glenn," Trump said. "You really have a great governor. I don't say that a lot."
Trump did not address the ruling as he said he would when he announced Friday that he would call into the rally. Instead, his call focused on his campaign platforms and energizing people to get out to vote.
”We’re fighting to win Virginia," Trump said. "And if we win Virginia, it's over. We win the whole ball of wax.”
Youngkin said the state will appeal the ruling and that officials were prepared to take it to the Supreme Court.
“We are not going to have a federal judge to tell us to put over 1,500 noncitizens back on the voter rolls,” Youngkin said.
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WTVR's Virginia Voter's Guide 2024
Virginia Democrats applauded the ruling and continuing campaign efforts across the state Saturday.
Brent Ferguson, the senior legal counsel for the Campaign Legal Center, called the decision “a really important victory“ for all Virginians and for democracy.
Leslie Mehta, the Democratic challenger in Virginia’s 1st Congressional District, campaigned with boots-on-the-ground efforts Saturday as Trump called into the rally where her opponent, incumbent Rob Whitman, was campaigning.
“It shows how nervous they are and he is trying to bring in reinforcements,” Mehta said.
The Harris campaign released a statement after the Trump campaign announced a rally next Saturday in Salem, Virginia.
“The Commonwealth will stand behind Vice President Harris since she’s fighting for a new way forward that will make it easier for Virginians to not just get by, but get ahead.”
Harris currently does not have any scheduled appearances in the state.
Early voting in Virginia continues through next Saturday, Nov. 2. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5.
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