The legislature is expected to begin debate Thursday on new congressional districts in the redistricting session today. Due to population shifts in Louisiana, Republican Senator Sharon Hewitt said the proposed map she’s submitted enlarges districts of 4 and 5 geographically due to a decline in population in North Louisiana.
“We are required by law to make those six congressional districts as exactly equal in population as possible,” said Hewitt.
In Hewitt’s proposed map District 4, Congressman Mike Johnson’s, would expand more to the east and south, and District 5, Congresswoman Julia Letlow’s, would add more parishes to the south of the current district including more of the Florida parishes.
On the topic of creating a second minority-majority congressional district and the proposed maps from Democratic Senators Cleo Fields and Karen Carter Peterson, Hewitt said just because a district qualifies as a 50-percent plus one minority district….
“But I don’t believe that the data will show the likelihood that they would be able to elect a minority candidate or a candidate of their choice,” said Hewitt.
In response to Senator Fields’ comments that the state is 33-percent Black therefore should have a second district for minority representation, Hewitt said it’s an oversimplification and geography has to be taken into consideration also. She said when you take minority voters out of District 2 to create a second district…
“By doing so you risk not having a sufficient number of minority voters in each of those districts, you risk not allowing those two districts to perform as a minority district,” said Hewitt.
The redistricting session, which must end by the 20th will also consider BESE, legislative, and Public Service Commission districts and possibly Supreme Court districts.
