Louisiana’s congressional primary, set for May, was stopped on Wednesday after a ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court that overturned majority-black congressional districts.
Republican Governor Jeff Landry and Attorney General Liz Murrill released a statement the following day, noting that “Louisiana’s historic Supreme Court victory has immediate implications for our state.”
They emphasized that the Supreme Court had previously halted an injunction that allowed states to use their existing congressional maps. But, with the court order now lifted, states cannot conduct elections under these maps.
Landry and Murrill indicated that they plan to collaborate with the state Legislature and the Secretary of State’s office to “develop a path forward.”
As early voting was scheduled to begin on Saturday in preparation for the May 16 primary, this abrupt change has sparked concerns.
Democratic Louisiana state Senator Royce Duplessis, representing the New Orleans area, expressed that this situation would create “massive confusion for all voters, Democratic and Republican, white and black.” He critiqued the ruling as shifting the “rules of the game” mid-process, hinting at a potential manipulation of the electoral system.
Currently, Louisiana is represented by four Republicans and two Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives.
This change in the congressional map may lead to an extra Republican seat in the upcoming November midterm elections.
