“Politics drove this map,” Louisiana State Representative Glen Womack bluntly admitted in January 2024—laying bare the real force behind the state’s controversial congressional redistricting plan. Now, that admission is at the heart of a landmark Supreme Court case that could reshape American democracy and potentially gut the last major pillar of the Voting Rights Act.
The case, Louisiana v. Callais, centers on the state’s creation of a second majority-Black congressional district after years of legal pressure. But what began as a court-ordered effort to ensure fair representation has spiraled into a constitutional showdown over race, power, and the future of minority voting rights.
Louisiana Redistricting: A Map Forged by Politics, Not Principle
Following the 2020 census, Black residents made up roughly one-third of Louisiana’s population—yet only one of the state’s six congressional districts had a Black voting-age majority. Civil rights groups sued, arguing the map diluted Black voting power in violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.
Federal courts agreed. In response, Louisiana’s Republican supermajority redrew the map in early 2024, adding a second majority-Black district that snakes diagonally from Baton Rouge to Shreveport—a district so oddly shaped it drew sarcastic praise from Rep. Garret Graves, who called it a feat of “imaginative creativity.”
But behind the scenes, the goal wasn’t racial equity—it was political survival. Lawmakers openly prioritized protecting powerful Republican incumbents like Speaker Mike Johnson and Majority Leader Steve Scalise, while sacrificing Graves’ seat. “Politics drove this map,” Womack confirmed, not race.
From Courtroom to Supreme Court: Why This Case Matters
Almost immediately, a group of white voters challenged the new map, claiming it was an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. A federal panel struck it down in April 2024—but the Supreme Court paused that ruling, allowing the map to be used in the 2024 election.
Democrat Cleo Fields won the new district, becoming Louisiana’s second Black congressman alongside Rep. Troy Carter. But the legal battle didn’t end there. In a rare move, the Supreme Court ordered a reargument for October 2025—and expanded the question to whether considering race in redistricting violates the 14th or 15th Amendments.
This shift has alarmed civil rights advocates. “If the Court rules against Section 2,” warns Janai Nelson of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, “the impact would be catastrophic for Black political representation across the South.”
Louisiana’s Congressional Map: Key Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Black Population (2020 Census) | ~32% |
| Original Majority-Black Districts | 1 out of 6 |
| New Majority-Black Districts (2024 Map) | 2 out of 6 |
| 2024 Election Result in New District | Cleo Fields (D) elected |
| Supreme Court Case | Louisiana v. Callais |
| Core Legal Question | Is race-conscious redistricting under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act constitutional? |
The Stakes: More Than Just Louisiana
A ruling against Section 2 wouldn’t just affect Louisiana—it could unravel decades of voting rights gains. Since the Supreme Court gutted Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act in 2013 (Shelby County v. Holder), Section 2 has been the primary legal tool for challenging discriminatory maps in states from Alabama to New York.
In 2023, the Court surprisingly upheld Section 2 in an Alabama redistricting case. But Justice Brett Kavanaugh hinted then that such race-based remedies “cannot extend indefinitely.” Now, with Louisiana’s case, the conservative majority may be ready to finish what it started.
Former Attorney General Eric Holder warned: “Any decision that fails to reaffirm precedent could shatter Americans’ faith in the judicial system.”
What Happens Next?
The Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling by June 2026. If it strikes down Section 2, states could redraw maps to eliminate majority-minority districts—potentially flipping House seats from blue to red and reversing hard-won representation for communities of color.
For now, Louisiana’s map stands—but its fate, and the future of voting rights in America, hangs in the balance.
