Louisiana to Delay House Primaries After Supreme Court Strikes Down Congressional Map as Unconstitutional Racial Gerrymander
Why It Matters
Louisiana’s decision to suspend its U.S. House primaries following a landmark Supreme Court redistricting ruling carries immediate consequences for congressional control in 2026 and sets the stage for a sweeping redraw of political maps across multiple states. The ruling’s interpretation of the Voting Rights Act could reshape Southern congressional delegations for years to come.
What Happened
Louisiana Secretary of State Nancy Landry announced Thursday that U.S. House primaries, previously scheduled for May 16, would be suspended after the Supreme Court struck down the state’s current congressional map as an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. All other races — including the closely watched U.S. Senate primary — will proceed as scheduled on May 16.
Governor Jeff Landry had been in contact with congressional Republicans to inform them of the plan ahead of the announcement. Absentee voting for the May 16 primary was already underway, and early voting had been set to begin this weekend. Under the current arrangement, House races will remain on voters’ ballots, but any votes cast in those contests will not be counted.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, told reporters Thursday that “the governor has no choice but to suspend” the May 16 primary, citing the Court’s direct ruling that the state’s congressional lines were unconstitutional. President Donald Trump praised Governor Landry on Truth Social, thanking him “for moving so quickly” on the matter.
By the Numbers
2 — The number of Democratic-held congressional districts in Louisiana currently targeted for redrawing by Republican state lawmakers.
May 16 — The original date for both the House primaries and the still-scheduled U.S. Senate primary in Louisiana.
2028 — The election cycle analysts say will feel the full political impact of the ruling, as states will have had time to act on redistricting across the board.
1 — The number of Democratic congressional districts in Tennessee, based in Memphis, that Governor Bill Lee indicated he would work to redraw under the new legal framework.
The Supreme Court Ruling and Its Reach
The Supreme Court’s majority opinion, authored by Justice Samuel Alito, held that “allowing race to play any part in government decision-making represents a departure from the constitutional rule that applies in almost any other context.” The decision severely limited Voting Rights Act provisions that had been used to mandate the creation of majority-minority congressional districts in states with substantial populations of voters of color.
The ruling has opened the door for Republican-controlled state legislatures to redraw maps in ways that could deliver their party a short-term advantage in the battle for control of Congress in 2026. The Supreme Court’s decision also weakens a key pillar of the Voting Rights Act, opening the door for Texas to redraw its own political maps, signaling that Louisiana is unlikely to be the only state reshaped by the ruling before November.
In Louisiana, Republican lawmakers are expected to draw new lines that eliminate at least one of the two Democratic-held districts — starting with the seat currently held by Rep. Cleo Fields, whose district was at the center of the constitutional challenge. Rep. Troy Carter, who represents much of New Orleans and communities to its west, holds the only other Democratic seat in the delegation.
Democrats have warned that the broader national effect of the ruling could dramatically reduce — or possibly eliminate — congressional seats currently held by Black Democrats across the South.
What’s Next
Louisiana state lawmakers are expected to convene to draft new congressional maps, and the suspended House primaries will need to be rescheduled once court-approved district lines are in place. The process could face legal challenges, though Republicans expressed confidence that the Supreme Court’s explicit finding of unconstitutionality provides sufficient justification for halting the races.
Meanwhile, Louisiana’s U.S. Senate primary proceeds May 16 as planned, with Republican incumbent Sen. Bill Cassidy facing a crowded field that includes Rep. Julia Letlow, who carries President Trump’s endorsement. If no candidate wins a majority, the top two Republicans advance to a runoff.
At the national level, Trump-backed redistricting efforts in multiple states are expected to accelerate in the wake of the ruling as Republicans seek a congressional advantage heading into the 2026 midterms. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signaled to President Trump that he would work to install a new congressional map in his state, potentially targeting Memphis-based Democratic representation.