Virginia Senate Democrats had rejected Youngkin’s picks in committee, but the governor’s administration had told the university boards to let the nominees serve.

A judge ordered that eight public university board members tapped by Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin be removed from their posts in a victory for Virginia Senate Democrats who rejected the appointees in a June committee vote.

Several higher education institutions in Virginia have been temporarily prohibited from allowing appointments made by Gov. Glenn Youngkin to continue serving on governing boards after a Fairfax County judge issued a preliminary injunction on Tuesday.