Now that the U-S Supreme Court has struck down Louisiana’s current Congressional map. When will the Louisiana Legislature draw a new one? Jeff Palermo has the story…
Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”
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In a ruling that fell right down ideological lines, the Supreme Court has thrown out Louisiana’s congressional map. Andrew Greenstein has analysis.
Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”
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A proposed constitutional amendment that would prohibit a governor from serving more than two terms fails to receive approval in the House by three votes. It’s the second time this session Chalmette Representative Michael Bayham’s bill came up three votes short and he’s disappointed…
Cut 3 (06) “…just wouldn’t vote.”
The legislation needs 70 “Yes” votes to pass. It received 67 votes. Seventeen lawmakers abstained from voting. Bayham is also disappointed one of the 21 “No” votes came from Covington Representative Mark Wright…
Only two individuals have ever served more than two terms as governor in Louisiana, Earl Long and Edwin Edwards. Bayham believes in a state with four million people, you should not have one person lead the state for more than eight years…
Cut 5 (10) “…out of Louisiana.”
Bayham says he’s uncertain if he’ll bring the legislation up for a third vote on the House floor.
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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…
Federal elections are this year in Louisiana. Candidates seeking to represent Louisiana in one of the state’s six Congressional districts are gearing up for early voting that begins on Saturday. Landry says the Supreme Court’s time on issuing a ruling could have been better…
Cut 7 (15) “..of the election.”
Landry hopes the result of the Supreme Court’s decision is an end to the court’s involvement in redistricting…
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The 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 the creation of the second majority-Black district, one that stretches diagonally 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.”
Ciolino says state legislatures may certainly use other factors in drawing congressional district lines, but they may not intentionally use race.
Cut 10 (09) “…game going forward.”
Ciolino says while the Supreme Court did not strike down the 1965 Voting Rights Act, its ruling today will have the effect of significantly gutting Section Two of that law.
Cut 11 (13) “…in drawing lines.”
In a statement, Louisiana Secretary of State Nancy Landry said her office is currently analyzing the opinion; and since it’s been remanded back to the Western District, she’s limited as to what she can say at this time.
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Attorney General Liz Murrill was pleased with today’s Supreme Court ruling.
So now, the case is remanded back to the Western District of Louisiana. Murrill says in the meantime, a new congressional map will need to be drawn.
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The Supreme Court ruling will in all likelihood have a profound effect on the political future of Congressman Cleo Fields. It was his district that the lawsuit had targeted. As one might expect, Fields was not happy with the Supreme Court’s decision to declare Louisiana’s congressional map unconstitutional.
Cut 14 (10) “…state is Louisiana.”
So now, a new congressional map for Louisiana will need to be drawn. Whether that can be done in time for the 2026 general election remains to be seen. Fields says changing the rules at this point in the 2026 election cycle would be counterproductive.
Cut 15 (06) “…my view, unwise.”
Fields says the best course of action is to have a new map in place for the 2028 election cycle.