On May 29, 2026, Louisiana lawmakers passed a new congressional map intended to secure an additional Republican seat, while maintaining only one of its two majority-Black House districts represented by Democrats. Republican Governor Jeff Landry is anticipated to sign the map into law. This decision follows a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that invalidated the previous map as an illegal racial gerrymander, which had implications for the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
The new map was designed to protect U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson's reelection prospects, with some Republicans suggesting that a 5-1 district map would be more favorable. In the wake of the Supreme Court's ruling, several Republican-led Southern states have moved to redraw their congressional districts, leveraging a weakened federal Voting Rights Act. While Republicans believe they could gain as many as 14 seats from redistricting, Democrats anticipate a potential gain of six seats from new districts in California and Utah.
Currently, Republicans hold four of six congressional seats in Louisiana, based on a court-ordered map from 2024 that complied with the Voting Rights Act. The new map modifies Democratic Representative Cleo Fields' district to encompass predominantly white areas in Baton Rouge and southern Louisiana, while also adjusting the boundaries of a majority-Black district in New Orleans represented by Democratic Representative Troy Carter. Legal challenges regarding the new map are expected, as Democrats argue it may still represent a form of racial gerrymandering by concentrating Black voters into a single district.
Other Southern states have also initiated redistricting efforts following the Supreme Court's decision, with Florida and Tennessee passing new congressional districts that could benefit Republicans, while Alabama is embroiled in a court battle over its proposed changes.
