A federal judge is now giving the Louisiana Legislature until January 30 to redraw the state’s congressional districts to include a second majority-minority district. It is a two-week extension from the previous deadline of January 15.
Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says this still presents a challenge for lawmakers.
“It’s going to be very difficult to come up with a map even in normal times, much less come up with a map with all the politics and the bitterness it will probably create,” said Pinsonat.
Under Louisiana law, the earliest Governor-elect Jeff Landry could call a special session after he is sworn in would be January 15. Pinsonat says U.S. District Judge Shelley Dick should realize January 30 is not enough time.
“But you have to pay attention to a new legislature coming in. This is being dumped in their laps. Thirty-plus of them are freshmen and it takes time to come up with a solution on something like this,” he said.
Dick has scheduled a February 5 trial date to hear the merits of the current districts.
Pinsonats said he believes the congressional districts of Republicans Julia Letlow and Garret Graves are most at risk, as a result of a new map.
Pinsonat says this leaves a supermajority of Republicans to redraw a minority seat that would benefit Democrats. He’s unsure if new lawmakers can create a second majority-black district.
“The majority is where the rub comes in. How many of a percentage of 50, 55, 54 so to create that is very difficult,” he said.
Governor-elect Jeff Landry and new lawmakers will be sworn in on January 8.
