Anger, confusion as Louisiana Republicans move to erase majority-Black US House district - Reuters

<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMivAFBVV95cUxOcC1lQ21FZXRCUHZHNWxwejRlVlpJR1A2VEZPQWdqS2Z4LW8tNlBTb0pmdndQQ3o5cWFYWm5nY1pZN2ZkekZLVE9kTUdWLXZmQ2VlbUFINm1yeW1ONnhtM1VsUG5HdGZnSHRnbjQ1VXBpeC1hRHB1eHdDcmxOcHFGcmZYd1J6cXRBakhaZERyNGZRMkJPbWx2VGVTbmpRSGJ4UlQ0MUVMTnJBY1BtMEpNZjJmanlQb2JsYUcyMA?oc=5" target="_blank">Anger, confusion as Louisiana Republicans move to erase majority-Black US House district</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<font color="#6f6f6f">Reuters</font>

Following a Supreme Court ruling in Louisiana v. Callais that significantly weakened Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, Republican-led state legislatures in the South have rapidly launched aggressive gerrymandering efforts, diluting Black voting power and potentially securing additional congressional seats for the GOP.

In a significant shift, the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Louisiana v. Callais has effectively weakened Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, allowing states to gerrymander as long as the intent isn't explicitly racial. This opens the door for Republican-controlled legislatures in the South to redraw congressional maps to eliminate Democratic-leaning, predominantly Black districts without legal obstruction.

The U.S. Supreme Court has fast-tracked a controversial decision overturning Louisiana’s congressional map, removing the standard 32-day waiting period. This move enables Louisiana Republicans to quickly redraw the district boundaries ahead of the 2026 midterms, potentially eliminating one or both majority-Black districts.

Recent developments in U.S. House redistricting have given Republicans an edge, largely driven by court rulings weakening the Voting Rights Act and invalidating some Democratic-drawn maps. A key U.S. Supreme Court decision invalidated a Black-majority district in Louisiana, prompting redistricting efforts across several Southern states.

Tennessee Republicans on Thursday approved a new congressional map dismantling a majority-Black U.S. House district centered on Memphis, as several other Southern states seek to leverage last week’s U.S. Supreme Court decision that severely weakened the landmark Voting Rights Act.

Louisiana lawmakers are debating new congressional maps that could eliminate one or both of the state's majority-Black districts, leading to protests and confusion among voters.

Voting rights activists express shock at the rapid actions of U.S. states, including Louisiana, to redraw congressional maps that could diminish Black political representation.