Alabama and Tennessee seek new congressional districts

Key Points:

• Republican governors in Alabama and Tennessee have called special legislative sessions to redraw congressional districts following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that weakened a key provision of the Voting Rights Act.
• Alabama Governor Kay Ivey aims to approve contingency plans for new maps to increase Republican representation in Congress, currently holding two Democratic seats out of seven.
• Tennessee Governor Bill Lee seeks to break up the state's sole Democratic-held district, centered in majority-Black Memphis, with the goal of gaining an additional Republican seat.
• The Supreme Court's ruling, which struck down a majority-Black district in Louisiana for relying too heavily on race, has prompted similar redistricting efforts across Southern states, sparking criticism from Democrats who view it as an attempt to undermine civil rights gains.
• Legal challenges and political debates continue as states like Louisiana postpone primaries and face lawsuits, while national figures including former President Trump encourage Republicans to capitalize on the ruling to gain House seats.