Louisiana GOP eliminates majority-Black district after Supreme Court weakens Voting Rights Act
After the 2026 Supreme Court ruling in Louisiana v. Callais weakened Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, Louisiana Republicans quickly approved a new congressional map eliminating one of the state's two majority-Black districts, despite Black residents making up nearly one-third of the population.
On April 29, 2026, the Supreme Court issued its decision in Louisiana v. Callais, holding that Louisiana's second majority-Black district was an unconstitutional racial gerrymander because race predominated without a compelling state interest. The Court affirmed and remanded in a 6-3 ruling, with Justice Alito writing the majority opinion. As Justice Kagan stated in dissent, the decision 'eviscerated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, a critical and sacred civil rights protection.' Following the ruling, the Louisiana legislature rushed through a new map that eliminated one of the two majority-Black districts, replacing it with a Republican-leaning seat — effectively ensuring that the state's congressional delegation will be 5 Republicans and 1 Democrat, even though Black Louisianans constitute about one-third of the state's population.
The humanitarian alternative
Congress should immediately pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (VRAA), which would restore Section 2 to its pre-Callais standard by codifying that racial vote dilution can be shown through disparate impact alone, not intentional discrimination. The VRAA would also establish a new preclearance formula based on a rolling 25-year history of voting rights violations, automatically requiring states like Louisiana to submit redistricting plans to the Department of Justice for approval before they take effect. This approach addresses the legitimate goal of allowing states to draw compact, non-racial districts while still protecting communities of color from being carved up for partisan gain.
At the state level, Louisiana could adopt an independent redistricting commission — as 14 other states already have — to remove partisan control from line-drawing altogether. Such a commission would be constitutionally permissible and would produce maps based on communities of interest rather than race or party. This would eliminate the incentive to pack or crack minority populations, ensuring fair representation without running afoul of the post-Callais legal landscape.
Falsifiable predictions
What this entry claims will happen, and what data would prove it wrong. The Reckoner revisits these against current reality.
- Within 90 days, at least one federal lawsuit will be filed challenging the new Louisiana map under the Equal Protection Clause or remaining Section 2 grounds.
- By the 2028 election cycle, at least three additional states (Georgia, Texas, and Alabama) will eliminate a majority-minority district following the Callais precedent.
- The number of Black representatives in the U.S. House from Louisiana will drop from 2 to 1 after the 2026 midterm elections.
Grounded in
- Louisiana Republicans pass new electoral map that guts majority-Black district | Louisiana | The Guardian
- Louisiana passes new congressional map, dismantling one majority ...
- Louisiana's new voting map drops a majority-Black district : NPR
- Louisiana passes new congressional map to eliminate majority ...
- In major Voting Rights Act case, Supreme Court strikes down ...
- Louisiana v. Callais
- On Wednesday, April 29, 2026, the Supreme Court of the United ...
- Louisiana v. Callais (Voting Rights Act) (24-109) - SCOTUSblog
Original source — excerpted
news Louisiana passes new congressional map, dismantling one majority-Black district"Louisiana Republicans approved a new congressional map Friday, eliminating one of the state’s two majority-Black districts and drawing an additional Republica..."