Tension Flares as Louisiana Lawmakers Battle Over New Congressional Maps

Things got ugly during the Louisiana Senate Governmental Affairs Committee where the work to draw new Congressional maps has started. You could see and hear the raw emotion of some of those testifying and there were many accusations of racial bias.

The debate centers on how to redraw Louisiana’s six congressional districts after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the current map an unconstitutional racial gerrymander in Callais v. Landry. State Senator Jay Morris (R-West Monroe) has proposed several maps that would either eliminate or significantly reduce the state’s two Black-majority districts. Morris argued his proposals align with the Court’s directive that race should not be the "primary factor" in drawing political boundaries.

A Clash of Intentions and Accusations

The hearing went south quickly when Senator Gary Carter (D-New Orleans) confronted Morris, suggesting a pattern in his legislative record. Carter pointed to Morris’s past efforts to abolish the Orleans Parish Criminal Court Clerk position shortly after a Black candidate, Calvin Duncan, was elected.

"What is behind your intentions?" Carter asked, leading to a heated exchange that forced Chairman Caleb Kleinpeter to briefly pause the meeting. Morris vehemently denied that racism motivated his legislation, maintaining that his focus remains on constitutional compliance.

The Future of Black Representation

The stakes are equally high for Louisiana’s current representation. Legal advocates argue that the state is attempting to silence minority voices.

"The numbers, geography, and people of Louisiana were clear throughout this entire redistricting process: another majority-Black district must be drawn for Louisiana's congressional map to comply with the Voting Rights Act," said Victoria Wenger, an attorney for the Legal Defense Fund (LDF). "Black voters cannot be forced to endure another decade of underrepresentation."

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If the legislature moves to a single Black-majority district, it would likely force incumbents Troy Carter and Cleo Fields into the same seat. However, Fields says he has no intention of running against Carter, expressing confidence that a legal map can still accommodate two majority-Black districts.

Shreveport Senator Sam Jenkins serves on the committee and he is also hopeful the panel will approve a map with two majority-Black districts.