Louisiana Senate passes new congressional map

Key Points:

• The Louisiana Senate approved a new congressional voting map that eliminates one of the state's two majority-Black, Democratic-leaning districts, with minor changes from a previous version; the vote was 27-10 along party lines.
• The map keeps District 2, the lone majority-Black district anchored in Orleans Parish and held by Democrat Troy Carter, largely unchanged, while shifting some parishes between districts to favor Republicans by concentrating Democratic voters.
• Senate sponsor Jay Morris emphasized that the map complies with a recent Supreme Court ruling prohibiting race-based redistricting, stating that partisan considerations are legally permissible.
• Democrats criticized the map for reducing Black representation and diluting minority voting power, accusing the Legislature of disenfranchisement in a state with a significant African-American population.
• The map now moves to the House for potential further changes, with leadership expecting a similar version to pass before the June 1 session end, while election dates have been rescheduled for November with a December runoff.