Louisiana Urges Supreme Court to Bar Race-Based Redistricting

Louisiana has urged the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold a ruling that struck down the state's 2024 congressional map, which established a second majority-Black district, arguing that race-based redistricting is unconstitutional. The state, represented by Attorney General Liz Murrill, has shifted from defending the map to contending that the Voting Rights Act's Section 2, which mandates consideration of race to prevent vote dilution, and the 1986 Thornburg v. Gingles precedent should be overturned. Louisiana claims that the Constitution recognizes only American voters and that race-conscious redistricting violates the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments. Black voters and advocates counter that the Voting Rights Act is vital civil rights legislation designed to protect minority voting power and that appropriate application of Section 2 is necessary to remedy racial discrimination. The Supreme Court's decision in this case could profoundly affect redistricting nationwide, potentially reducing the number of majority-Black districts and impacting minority representation in Congress and other legislative bodies. The court has scheduled rearguments to further examine whether Louisiana's creation of a second majority-Black district violates constitutional protections.