The US Supreme Court has thrown out Louisiana’s congressional map. In a six-to-three ruling that fell right along ideological lines, the court ruled that Cleo Fields’ district, which stretches from Shreveport to Baton Rouge, relied too much on race. Loyola University law professor Dane Ciolino says the state intentionally went to extraordinary lengths to create that district, and that’s what the court took exception to.
Cut 9 (10) “…unconstitutional racial gerrymander.”
Fields says the Supreme Court’s ruling is a grave setback to voting rights and to the promise of equal political representation for all Americans…
Cut 14 (10) “…state is Louisiana”
So now, a new congressional map for Louisiana will need to be drawn.
So what happens now that the nation’s highest court has struck down Louisiana’s second majority Black congressional district. Governor Jeff Landry says they are still analyzing the ruling…
Cut 6 (08) “…moving forward”
The case is remanded to the Western District of Louisiana. State Attorney General Liz Murrill says Western District Court judges could draw a new map, but the Legislature has the first chance to act…
Murrill believes it is possible for the Legislature to draw a new Congressional map this year, but decisions need to be made quicky.
Early voting for the Congressional primaries based on the current map starts on Saturday. But Democrats say it is way too late to postpone the May 16th primary.