South Carolina Democratic Rep. Keishan Scott looks at a proposed U.S. House district map during a redistricting hearing in a state House Judiciary subcommittee on Tuesday, May, 12 2026, in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Collins)
Republican South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster speaks to reporters on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Collins)
Two weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Louisiana’s congressional map, state senators on Thursday are to consider a plan that would eliminate a majority-Black district while giving Republicans a chance to win an additional seat in the November midterm elections.
The high court’s ruling has led to a flurry of redistricting efforts in Southern states as Republicans seek to capitalize on a weakened federal Voting Rights Act. While most of those efforts are voluntary, Louisiana must redraw its U.S. House map in response to the ruling that it had illegally used race to gerrymander a majority-Black district.
The debate over the shape of Louisiana’s new districts is playing out as South Carolina’s governor is ramping up pressure on lawmakers to also redistrict ahead of the midterms. President Donald Trump has encouraged numerous Republican-led states to redraw House voting districts to their advantage in a bid to hold on to control of the closely divided chamber in November.
