By Ivan Sanchez
Alabama was a bright light in eliminating racial bias in redistricting, but the redistricting wars have not stopped across the US South. The more recent decisions have been of mixed results for those that support racial and political fairness in US House elections.
North Carolina’s GOP, with a now veto-proof majority, has ripped apart the current congressional map, eliminating up to four Democrat held seats in their congressional delegation. Districts that were once competitive have been made safely Republican. In North Carolina, the governor has no veto power over redistricting, so the delegation (currently 7 Republicans and 7 Democrats) will certainly change. This is despite the state having extremely close elections over the past two decades with both Democrats and Republicans narrowly winning Senate, Governor, and Presidential Elections.
In Georgia, the Republican majority in 2020 eliminated a Democrat held seat in North Atlanta and pitted two Democrats against each other in the 2022 election cycle. U.S. District Judge Steve Jones, appointed by former President Barack Obama, ordered Georgia to redraw the congressional maps on a Section II of the Civil Rights Act challenge. Jones made note in his 500+ page ruling that Georgia had made strides toward racial equity in redistricting, but found the plan still violated the Civil Rights Act.
Georgia Secretary of State, Brad Raffenserger, filed with the court that he would appeal the ruling, but noted that he was not seeking a stay of the order for the redrawing of Congressional maps. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) has also caused a special session for the end of the month to have the legislature redraw the maps. It is very possible we will see a restoration of GA-06 and GA-07 in this round of redistricting, allowing Democrats to once again compete in North Atlanta.
With appeal court decisions still pending in Louisiana and a US Supreme Court ruling in South Carolina expected at any time, control of Congress in 2024 may well come down to the outcomes of the mid-decade reshuffling across the US South.
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