Judges Weigh Challenge to Louisiana’s Last Black-Majority District

A three-judge federal panel in Shreveport heard arguments over whether a lawsuit challenging Louisiana’s congressional map can remain open to claims against the 2nd Congressional District, the state’s only remaining Black-majority district, represented by Rep. Troy Carter. The dispute follows the Supreme Court’s decision striking down the 6th District, after which Louisiana lawmakers adopted a map eliminating that district. The NAACP Legal Defense Fund and state attorneys argue the plaintiffs’ claims in the existing case have been resolved and any challenge to the 2nd District must be brought in a separate lawsuit with new evidence; the plaintiffs say they may present evidence by a December 15 deadline. The panel issued no immediate ruling, and the arguments will not change the map used for this year’s elections. Carter has criticized the effort, warning it could further weaken Black representation in Louisiana.