Louisiana Advances Map Eliminating Majority-Black Congressional District
Louisiana senators advanced a bill to eliminate one of two majority-Black congressional districts.
Why it matters: The move could reduce Black representation in Congress despite Black residents making up about a third of Louisiana’s population. Voting rights attorneys and civil rights groups are closely watching for legal action and broader implications for minority representation nationwide.
- Senate Bill 121 advanced 4-3 along party lines on May 13, 2026.
- The map consolidates Black voters into one district from Baton Rouge to New Orleans.
- The move follows a Supreme Court ruling striking down the earlier map as a racial gerrymander.
- If enacted, Republicans are likely to win five of six House seats.
The Louisiana Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee narrowly approved Senate Bill 121 early on May 13, 2026, after a 10-hour hearing. The bill removes one of the state’s two majority-Black congressional districts, further consolidating Black voting power into a single expansive district stretching from Baton Rouge to New Orleans.
- The bill advanced on a 4-3 party-line vote after a marathon committee session that ran from 7 p.m. to 4:30 a.m.
- The new map would likely force incumbent Democratic Representatives Troy Carter and Cleo Fields to compete for one seat, according to local reporting.
- This effort follows the U.S. Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision in Louisiana v. Callais, which found the state’s previous map unconstitutional due to racial gerrymandering.
- Gov. Jeff Landry had previously suspended House primaries scheduled for May 16 to allow time for redrawing the map.
Civil rights advocates and some lawmakers raised alarm. Rep. Troy Carter warned: “This decision will embolden efforts to dismantle majority-Black districts and fracture communities that have finally begun to see themselves reflected in their government.” Democratic Senator Sam Jenkins called the measure a “political power grab.” Attorney General Liz Murrill, however, welcomed the ruling, arguing the Supreme Court “has ended Louisiana’s long-running nightmare of federal courts coercing the state to draw a racially discriminatory map.”
While Black residents account for about one-third of the population, the map reduces their dedicated majority district to just one, making it likely that Republicans will control five of six U.S. House seats in Louisiana if the map is enacted. The decision is being watched as a bellwether for similar redistricting moves in other states.
By the numbers:
- 4-3 — Vote by which Senate Bill 121 advanced out of committee
- ~33% — Portion of Louisiana’s population that is Black
- 1 — Number of majority-Black districts in the proposed congressional map, down from two
- 6-3 — Ideological split in the Supreme Court decision striking the earlier map
Yes, but: Full legislative approval and the timing of potential court challenges to the new map remain unclear.
What's next: Close scrutiny from the courts and civil rights groups is expected as further challenges to the new map are likely.