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. The redrawn map could give Louisiana Republicans a 5-1 congressional majority, significantly altering the state's political landscape.
Supreme Court Decision Weakens Voting Rights Act
The recent Supreme Court decision in Louisiana v Callais, which centered on the state's congressional maps, severely weakened the Voting Rights Act (VRA). The fallout was swift, with several other southern states calling special sessions to pass redistricting maps that limit Black voting power. Louisiana's governor, Jeff Landry, a Republican, had immediately suspended the state's ongoing House primary elections, despite 45,000 absentee ballots already cast—something that did not happen during the Civil War, either world war, or the Covid-19 pandemic.
Details of the New Map
The proposed map is nearly identical to one the state 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, the majority-Black District 6 runs almost 250 miles from Baton Rouge and Lafayette in the south through Alexandria to Shreveport in the north. The new map would center around predominantly white areas in the Baton Rouge suburbs and south Louisiana.
District 2, currently represented by Democrat Troy Carter, would retain its Black majority under the new map. District 2 would cover New Orleans to part of Baton Rouge and likely remain Democratic-leaning.
Legislative Process and Opposition
Senate Bill 121 will now head to the state house. If it passes, lawmakers must approve the new map by 1 June. On Wednesday, the state legislature gave final approval to a bill moving the election to an open primary on 3 November, where all US House candidates, regardless of party affiliation, would appear on the ballot for voters in their district.
During a lengthy floor debate on Thursday, Republican state senator Jay Morris, who sponsored the bill, 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—this amendment, and this bill in general, does use race as 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.”
Despite opposition from Democratic lawmakers and voters, Republicans hold supermajorities in both the state house and senate, leaving Democrats with little legislative recourse. “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.”
