A national redistricting battle over U.S. House seats shifted toward Republicans on Friday, driven by a Virginia court ruling that invalidated a Democratic effort and new legislation in Alabama that could trigger fresh primary elections.
These developments are part of a broader movement by Republicans in several Southern states to capitalize on a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that significantly weakened protections for minorities under the Voting Rights Act.
Alabama Prepares for Potential Primary Reset
Republican Governor Kay Ivey quickly signed a law allowing for new primary elections if courts permit the state to use GOP-drawn House districts for the November midterm elections. The law would effectively ignore the May 19 primary results for certain congressional seats and direct the governor to schedule new primaries under revised districts.
The move is an attempt to replace a court-selected map, currently in place until after the 2030 census, which required a second district where Black voters are the majority or nearly so. This existing map led to the 2024 election of Democratic Rep. Shomari Figures. Republican officials seek to restore a 2023 map, previously rejected by a federal court, which could allow them to reclaim Figures’ district.
“With this special session successfully behind us, Alabama now stands ready to quickly act, should the courts issue favorable rulings in our ongoing redistricting cases,” Gov. Ivey said in a statement.
However, a three-judge panel rejected Alabama’s request to lift the injunction on Friday evening. The request remains pending before the U.S. Supreme Court.
The legislation sparked intense protest at the Alabama Statehouse, where one demonstrator was dragged from the House gallery by security. Democratic state Sen. Rodger Smitherman described the vote as a setback to the “days of Reconstruction,” while other Black lawmakers argued the legislation mirrors the state’s “shameful Jim Crow history.”
Procedural Failure in Virginia
In Virginia, the state Supreme Court invalidated a redistricting measure that Democrats hoped would gain them as many as four additional U.S. House seats. The court ruled that the Democratic-led legislature violated constitutional procedural requirements.
Under the Virginia Constitution, a constitutional amendment must be approved in two separate legislative sessions with a state election occurring in between. The court found the legislature’s initial approval last October came too late, as more than 1.3 million ballots—approximately 40% of the total—had already been cast in the general election.
Redistricting Efforts Across the South
Other Southern states are pursuing similar strategies to redraw congressional lines:
- Louisiana: A Senate committee considered options proposed by Republican state Sen. John “Jay” Morris that could eliminate one or both of the state’s current Black-majority U.S. House districts. Democratic state Sen. Sam Jenkins argued these maps reduce Black voting power, a claim Morris denied, stating his goal was to be “respectful of the traditional boundaries.”
- South Carolina: Lawmakers discussed a proposed map intended to give Republicans a clean sweep of the state’s seven U.S. House seats. The plan involves breaking up the 6th District, represented by Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, though some Republicans worry this could make the other six districts less Republican. A legislative subcommittee has advanced a plan to delay the congressional primary to August and reopen candidate filing if the map is approved.
- Tennessee: The state recently enacted new districts that carve up a Black-majority, Democratic-held district in Memphis. The state Democratic Party filed a lawsuit on Friday to prevent these districts from being used in this year’s elections.
National Implications
The high-stakes redistricting war is centered on the closely divided House, where both parties are seeking an edge for the midterm elections. Following a push from President Donald Trump last summer for Texas to redraw its districts, Republicans believe they could gain as many as 14 seats through new districts across several states, while Democrats believe they could gain up to six.
Despite these goals, the outcomes remain uncertain, as aggressive gerrymandering could potentially backfire in highly competitive districts.
