Supreme Court Reviews GOP Challenge to Voting Rights Act Impacting Congressional Control
The U.S. Supreme Court is reviewing a significant Republican-led challenge to the Voting Rights Act. This Civil Rights Movement cornerstone aims to prevent racial discrimination in redistricting. On Wednesday, justices assessed arguments regarding Louisiana’s congressional map, which features two majority Black districts. A court decision favoring the state could reshape congressional maps across the South, bolstering Republican opportunities by reducing Democratic-leaning majority Black and Latino districts.
Potential Impact on Congressional Control
The issue highlights an ongoing mid-decade dispute over congressional redistricting. In recent years, former President Donald Trump encouraged states like Texas to redraw district lines to secure the GOP’s narrow House majority. The Supreme Court’s conservative justices have shown skepticism toward racial considerations, notably ending affirmative action in college admissions.
Past Rulings and New Questions
The court previously weakened another part of the Voting Rights Act, which mandated states with racial discrimination histories to seek federal approval for election changes. State legislatures now have significant freedom to gerrymander, with state supreme courts being the only recourse. Striking down or weakening Section 2 could lead to severe partisan gerrymandering.
In a 2021 ruling, by a 5-4 vote, the court confirmed a likely Voting Rights Act violation in Alabama’s congressional map. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh sided with their liberal peers. This led to the creation of new districts adding more Black Democrats to Congress.
Louisiana’s Congressional Map Under Scrutiny
The ongoing Louisiana case poses a vital question: Does creating a second majority-minority district breach the Fourteenth or Fifteenth Amendments? In earlier hearings, Chief Justice Roberts questioned the merits of the second majority Black district, which elected Democratic Rep. Cleo Fields last year.
- The challenged district covers over 200 miles, connecting Shreveport, Alexandria, Lafayette, and Baton Rouge.
- For three years, the state’s congressional map has been under legal battle.
- In 2022, a new map maintained five Republican-leaning districts and one Democratic-leaning Black district.
Legal Developments and Future Outlook
Civil rights advocates secured a lower court ruling, finding the districts likely discriminated against Black voters. Louisiana’s new map aimed to comply while preserving Republican influence, represented by figures like House Speaker Mike Johnson. However, some white voters appealed, claiming race predominantly influenced the new map. A three-judge court agreed, forwarding the case to the Supreme Court.
