Trending Now - Louisiana Senate Approves Controversial House Map Restructuring

WHO:

PBS - Democratic U.S. Rep. Troy Carter represents the New Orleans-based, majority-Black district that retains a portion of Baton Rouge.

PBS - Louisiana Senate President Cameron Henry stated that Republicans opted not to pursue a 6-0 Republican map because it was infeasible.

PBS - Republican Gov. Jeff Landry postponed Louisiana's U.S. House primaries, which were originally scheduled for Saturday.

PBS - Rep. Beau Beaullieu is the Republican sponsor of the bill to shift the election to an open primary.

PBS - Democratic U.S. Rep. Cleo Fields stated he won't decide whether to seek reelection until the maps are finalized.

PBS - Republican state Sen. Jay Morris said, "These maps are drawn to maximize Republican advantage for the incumbent Republicans that we have in Congress."

PBS - Democratic state Sen. Sam Jenkins suggested Republicans are "using partisanship as cover for discriminatory practices against a group of people, particularly Black voters and Democrats."

PBS - Louisiana state senators, President Trump, Democratic U.S. Rep. Cleo Fields, Democratic U.S. Rep. Troy Carter, Republican state Sen. Jay Morris, Democratic state Sen. Sam Jenkins, Louisiana Senate President Cameron Henry, Republican Gov. Jeff Landry, Rep. Beau Beaullieu, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, Republican House Majority Leader Davey Hiott, U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn.

WHAT:

PBS - The new U.S. House map eliminates a district that previously spanned over 200 miles from Baton Rouge to Shreveport, creating a voting bloc with a majority of Black residents.

PBS - The new plan clusters a district around predominantly white communities in the Baton Rouge area and southern Louisiana.

PBS - A bill was given final approval to shift Louisiana's U.S. House primaries to an open primary on November 3.

PBS - If no candidate wins a majority, the top two vote-getters will enter a run-off on December 12.

PBS - The new U.S. House map eliminates a district that previously spanned over 200 miles from Baton Rouge to Shreveport.

PBS - The new plan retains a New Orleans-based, majority-Black district while adding a portion of Baton Rouge to it.

PBS - Louisiana state senators passed a new U.S. House map that would eliminate a majority-Black district.

PBS - The new U.S. House districts still need House approval and would be used for primary elections postponed until November.

PBS - The new plan clusters a district around predominantly white communities in the Baton Rouge area and southern Louisiana.

PBS - The proposed House map is similar to one used in 2022, resulting in five Republicans and one Democrat winning election.

PBS - A bill was approved to shift Louisiana's U.S. House primaries to an open primary on November 3.

PBS - If no candidate wins a majority, the top two vote-getters will enter a run-off on December 12.

PBS - A new qualifying period for House candidates will run from August 5-7.

WHERE:

PBS - The new U.S. House map pertains to Louisiana, specifically areas around Baton Rouge and Shreveport.

PBS - South Carolina's congressional redistricting is also being discussed, with implications for the state’s House districts.

WHEN:

PBS - The new qualifying period for House candidates will run from August 5-7.

PBS - The Louisiana House primary is now scheduled for November 3, with a run-off on December 12.

PBS - The Louisiana U.S. House primaries were originally scheduled for a Saturday but have been postponed to November 3.

PBS - The run-off election is scheduled for December 12.

PBS - The new qualifying period for House candidates is from August 5-7.

WHY:

PBS - The redistricting efforts in Louisiana are a direct response to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down the previous congressional map for illegally using race to gerrymander a majority-Black district.

PBS - The shift to an open primary is due to the insufficient time for closed primaries and a primary run-off before the November 3 general election.

PBS - The redistricting efforts in Louisiana are a response to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down the previous congressional map for illegally using race to gerrymander a majority-Black district.

PBS - Republicans aim to capitalize on a weakened federal Voting Rights Act to gain additional House seats in the midterm elections.

HOW:

PBS - The new system for U.S. House candidates will allow all candidates, regardless of party affiliation, to be on the ballot for voters in their district.

PBS - The new congressional map was drawn to allow Republicans to potentially win additional seats in the midterm elections.

PBS - The new congressional map was drawn to maximize Republican advantage for incumbent Republicans in Congress.

PBS - The Louisiana Legislature passed a revised map in response to the Supreme Court ruling, creating a second majority-Black district used in the 2024 elections.

(UPDATED May 15, 2026 23:16 UTC)

In Louisiana, the new U.S. House map has eliminated a district that once stretched over 200 miles from Baton Rouge to Shreveport, now creating a voting bloc with a majority of Black residents. This redistricting comes in response to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that found the previous congressional map illegally gerrymandered a majority-Black district by using race. Under the new system, all candidates, regardless of party affiliation, will be on the ballot for voters in their district, reflecting a significant shift in the electoral landscape.

(UPDATED May 15, 2026 21:19 UTC)

Louisiana's U.S. House primaries have been postponed, with a new open primary system set to take place on November 3, thanks to a bill sponsored by Republican Rep. Beau Beaullieu that received final approval. If no candidate secures a majority in that primary, the top two vote-getters will face off in a run-off on December 12, while the qualifying period for House candidates will run from August 5 to 7. This change to an open primary is being implemented due to the lack of time for closed primaries and a run-off ahead of the general election.

(UPDATED May 15, 2026 19:24 UTC)

In Louisiana, the new congressional map has sparked significant debate, as Democratic U.S. Rep. Cleo Fields announced he won't decide on reelection until the maps are finalized, while Republican state Sen. Jay Morris criticized the changes for favoring Republican incumbents. The redistricting, which eliminates a district that stretched over 200 miles and retains a majority-Black district in New Orleans, is a response to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that deemed the previous map unconstitutional for gerrymandering based on race. Looking ahead, the Louisiana House primary is set for November 3, followed by a run-off on December 12, as the new map aims to give Republicans a better chance at winning additional seats in the upcoming midterm elections.

(UPDATED May 15, 2026 13:32 UTC)

Louisiana state senators have passed a new U.S. House map that eliminates a majority-Black district, a move that follows a U.S. Supreme Court ruling against the previous map for racial gerrymandering. The new districts, which cluster around predominantly white communities in the Baton Rouge area and southern Louisiana, still require House approval and will be used for primaries now set for November 3, with a qualifying period for candidates from August 5 to 7. Additionally, if no candidate secures a majority in the primaries, the top two vote-getters will face off in a run-off election scheduled for December 12.