The Louisiana House of Representatives passed a congressional redistricting plan Thursday that would eliminate the state’s current majority-Black congressional district, advancing a Republican-led map that lawmakers say is intended to secure additional GOP seats in the U.S. House. The legislation moves Louisiana closer to finalizing mid-cycle boundary changes just months before the November midterm elections.
Under the proposed map, Republican lawmakers would gain a structural advantage in the redrawn districts, including bolstering the reelection prospects for U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, whose current seat has faced increasing electoral uncertainty. The House-approved measure now advances to the state Senate, where a final vote is expected as early as Friday. If the Senate approves the plan, it will be sent to Republican Gov. Jeff Landry for his signature.
“We drew this map in an effort to safely maximize Republican strength,” said state Rep. Beau Beaullieu, the Republican chairman of the House redistricting committee.
The legislative action follows a U.S. Supreme Court decision in late April that determined Louisiana’s existing congressional map violated federal law by constituting an illegal racial gerrymander. In the weeks since the ruling, state legislatures across the South have moved quickly to redraw their own congressional boundaries, citing the court’s decision as evidence that the federal Voting Rights Act’s enforcement mechanisms have been significantly weakened.
The redistricting push has been actively encouraged by President Donald Trump, who has publicly urged Republican-controlled statehouses to revise their maps ahead of the midterms. The coordinated effort marks the latest development in a nationwide battle over congressional district boundaries that has intensified across multiple states since the beginning of the year.