Louisiana must redraw its congressional districts in response to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that its map was racially gerrymandered. The question before state lawmakers now is how exactly to do that. The House is considering one option Thursday that differs somewhat from a plan already passed by the Senate. But both plans from the Republican-led chambers would eliminate a majority-Black district at issue in the Supreme Court’s ruling. Both would also give Republicans a chance at picking up an additional seat in this year’s midterm elections. “We drew the map to improve Republican strength,” state Rep. Beau Beaullieu said while opening Thursday’s debate.Since the Supreme Court’s decision in late April, several other Southern states already have seized upon a weakened federal Voting Rights Act to try to redraw their own congressional districts. It’s the latest flare-up in what’s been a heated national redistricting battle heading into the November elections, spurred along by President Donald Trump.
So far, Republicans are winning the redistricting contest. But that doesn’t necessarily mean they will win the U.S. House in November. Democrats need a net gain of only a few seats to flip control of the chamber. Trump faces negative approval ratings. And in midterm elections, the president’s party typically loses congressional seats.
