Governor Jeff Landry (R-LA) has granted final approval to a congressional map that establishes a court-ordered second majority-black district, likely resulting in Republicans losing one of their five seats in the Louisiana legislature.
The new map safeguards the partisan balance in House Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-LA) and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise’s (R-LA) districts while transforming Rep. Garret Graves’s (R-LA) district into the state’s second black-majority district.
Landry signed the bill on Monday, asserting that the legislature’s control over the map is preferable to court-drawn alternatives. He emphasized the necessity of structural changes to the election system, allowing for a clearer and simpler final ballot.
Graves’s district is anticipated to be a Democratic gain in November, given the Democratic leanings of black voters. However, Graves expressed his commitment to running for reelection, without specifying the district he intends to seek. The court, which invalidated the previous congressional map, mandated the legislature to implement a compliant map by Jan. 30 for the 2024 election.
While Johnson’s district remains intact under the new map, he voiced dissatisfaction with the newly created district, contending that the previously invalidated map would ultimately prevail in court.
Republicans currently hold a slim 219-213 majority in the House of Representatives, and redistricting changes in various states, including New York, pose challenges to GOP control. Despite some losses, the GOP has secured victories in redistricting battles, gaining seats in North Carolina and maintaining partisan breakdowns in Georgia.
