The Louisiana state senate voted 27-10 on Thursday to pass a new congressional map that would eliminate one of the state's two majority-Black House districts, a move that could give Louisiana Republicans a 5-1 congressional majority. The decision comes in the wake of the Supreme Court's recent ruling in Louisiana v Callais, which severely weakened the Voting Rights Act (VRA).
Impact of Supreme Court Decision
The fallout from the Supreme Court's decision was immediate, with several southern states calling special sessions to pass redistricting maps that limit Black voting power. Louisiana's Governor Jeff Landry, a Republican, suspended the state's ongoing House primary elections despite 45,000 absentee ballots already cast—a measure not taken during the Civil War, either World War, or the Covid-19 pandemic.
Details of the New Map
The proposed map is nearly identical to the one used in 2022, which resulted in a 5-1 Republican majority. It would drastically reshape District 6, currently represented by Democrat Cleo Fields, making it more Republican. Under the existing map, District 6 runs nearly 250 miles from Baton Rouge and Lafayette through Alexandria to Shreveport. The new map would center on predominantly white areas in the Baton Rouge suburbs and south Louisiana.
District 2, represented by Democrat Troy Carter, would retain its Black majority under the new map, covering New Orleans to part of Baton Rouge and likely leaning Democratic.
Legislative Process
Senate Bill 121 now heads to the state House. If passed, lawmakers must approve a new map by June 1. On Wednesday, the legislature gave final approval to a bill moving the election to an open primary on November 3, where all US House candidates, regardless of party affiliation, would appear on the ballot.
During a lengthy floor debate, Republican state Senator Jay Morris defended the new districts. However, Democratic state Senator Sidney Barthelemy II pushed back, arguing that race is a predominant factor in the redistricting. "If 80% of the Republican party is white, that [race] is a predominant factor," he said. "If the numbers bear out that the party is predominantly white, and you're redistricting an area based on the party, then the two collide, and now you are redistricting based on race."
Democratic Opposition
Democratic lawmakers and voters have opposed the new maps throughout the rushed process, but legislatively they cannot stop Republicans, who hold supermajorities in both chambers. "You can't bring a map like this, that's gonna reduce representation, and think we're just supposed to take it," said Democratic state Senator Royce Duplessis. "You think I'm supposed to be cool about it? You think I'm supposed to be calm about it? I don't think so."
