Republican Drawn Congressional Map Attacked By Republican

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The Louisiana congressional maps drawn by state Republicans has already faced a veto from Governor John Bel Edwards, now it's facing critique from those inside the party who created it.

Earlier this month, Governor Edwards issued a veto on the map that had been drawn by Louisiana Republicans. Almost right away, Republicans made it known they will attempt to overturn the Governor's veto, rather than work with him on a solution to the map.

The Governor did approve changes to other maps, including the state school board.

Democrats have brought multiple gradiences against the Republican drawn Congressional map. Mainly the issues have centered around the addition of a second minority-majority district, something that was missing from the Republican maps that were drawn. However, now there's a challenge to the map coming from inside the Republican party.

According to a report from The Daily Advertiser, Louisiana Republican Congressman Clay Higgins has called the new map the result of "deceitful back-room negotiations". Higgins is now looking to have the Republicans allow for Governor Edwards veto on the map to stand.

Higgins issues with the map are not the same as the Governor. Where Higgins takes issue is with the splits in St. Mary and St. Martin Parishes, not the lack of a second minority-majority district. Higgins puts the blame for the problems he sees on Louisiana state House leadership, and specifically House Speaker Clay Schexnayder. He told the Daily Advertiser:

"The Schexnayder map details are troubling enough, unnecessarily dividing St. Mary and St. Martin Parishes in ways that directly contradict the will of those citizens, my constituents...Beyond the details of the Schexnayder map, tragically, the map itself was born of unrighteous, deceitful back room negotiations in BR(Baton Rouge)."

You can read Higgins extensive statement to the newspaper here.