Fifth Circuit Blocks Louisiana GOP Map Over Racial Gerrymandering

Federal judges have upheld Florida’s 2022 Senate redistricting plan, rejecting claims that Senate District 16 was racially gerrymandered and violated constitutional equal-protection rights. The three-judge panel, including appointees from both Republican President Donald Trump and Democratic President Barack Obama, found that race was not the predominant factor in drawing the district and that the Senate complied with Florida’s Fair Districts map and constitutional non-diminishment provisions. Meanwhile, in Louisiana, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals blocked the state's 2022 congressional redistricting map, ruling it constituted unconstitutional racial gerrymandering by diluting Black voters' influence, a decision that aligns with a lower court ruling and is under Supreme Court review. The Louisiana ruling represents a temporary victory for voting rights advocates, with the Supreme Court expected to hear further arguments regarding the legality of race-conscious redistricting in the state. These cases highlight ongoing legal battles over redistricting and voting rights protections, reflecting contrasting judicial outcomes in Florida and Louisiana over the role of race in drawing political boundaries.