Louisiana Republicans pass new electoral map that guts majority-Black district
Summary
Louisiana Republicans approved a new congressional map that removes a majority-Black district, which was previously created after a court found the old map reduced Black voters’ influence. The new map is likely to give Republicans five of six congressional seats, replacing the earlier 4-2 Republican-Democrat split.Key Facts
- The new congressional map eliminates a majority-Black district currently represented by Democrat Cleo Fields.
- This district was drawn in 2024 after a court ruled the previous map violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act by weakening Black voters’ power.
- The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in Louisiana v Callais that plaintiffs must prove intentional discrimination to win Voting Rights Act redistricting cases.
- Louisiana’s Republican governor Jeff Landry is expected to sign the new map into law.
- The new map likely increases Republican-held seats from four to five out of six in Louisiana’s congressional delegation.
- The American Civil Liberties Union opposes the map, stating it breaks apart Black communities and reduces their voting power.
- After the Supreme Court ruling, Governor Landry canceled the state’s congressional primary and rescheduled it for later this year.
- Tennessee and Alabama, also Republican-led Southern states, are making similar moves to remove majority-Black districts after the Supreme Court decision.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.