Now that Louisiana lawmakers have approved a new congressional map designed to secure Republican control the U. S. House, civil rights groups are preparing to file a lawsuit to preserve a second Democratic House seat in the Louisiana congressional delegation.
"Well, this is a perfect storm," University of Louisiana political science professor Pearson Cross said.
The legislature drew the new map following the United States Supreme Court's Callais vs. Louisiana decision in which the majority held that drawing congressional districts based on race is unconstitutional, striking down a key portion of the 1965 Voting Rights act.
While Republicans in the Louisiana say the new districts don't take race into consideration, Cross implied that those claims ring hollow.
"It's very clear that's what's happening, and Black voices in Louisiana are getting less well-represented by one district rather than the potential for two districts," Cross said.
According to Cross, white Republican lawmakers are diluting the Congressional influence of Black, mostly Democratic voters.
"It has to do with the high correlation of African Americans with the Democratic Party," Cross said. "Most Blacks voting in Louisiana are registered as Democrats or vote with Democrats. When you do a partisan districting, which is allowed under the Supreme Court rules, you are, in fact, also doing a racial districting. You just don't say that part out loud."
