The Senate Governmental Affairs Committee held a lengthy and sometimes contentious meeting on Friday over proposed Congressional maps to replace the current one struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court. The nation’s highest court called it an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. New Orleans Senator Royce Duplessis urged the panel to approve another Congressional map that has two majority Black Districts, one in the Baton Rouge area and the other in New Orleans.
“These two communities can sustain congressional districts that give Democratic voters a genuine opportunity to elect their preferred candidates while still satisfying traditional redistricting principles,” Duplessis said.
Four past and present Black Louisiana Congressman testified in support of a map with two majority minority districts. New Orleans Congressman Troy Carter says it’s simple math, one third of the state is black, therefore Blacks should represent one-third of Louisiana’s House delegation.
“Fairness and basic mathematics both point to the same conclusion: Two districts where Black voters have a fair opportunity to elect candidates of their choice. It’s very basic,” Carter said.
But the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee is also considering map proposals with just one majority minority district or zero. West Monroe Senator Jay Morris is the author of these proposals and was questioned on how he can support a map where districts are set up so a Republican can represent every district in the state.
“Because this state typically votes majority Republican in statewide elections, that you would naturally end up with a majority; six majority conservative districts,” Morris explained.
Morris says the U.S. Supreme Court decision said race cannot be the primary factor in drawing up political boundaries, but partisan politics can be used.
“I prefer maps that help Republicans, because that’s what I am. And redistricting for partisan advantage is clearly legal, and it says so in the Callais decision,” Morris noted.
The Senate Governmental Affairs Committee will vote on map proposals at its next meeting on Wednesday.
