The GOP's Stunningly Swift Gerrymandering Drive

"For more than four decades, the Ninth Congressional District of Tennessee stood as a bulwark, ensuring that the Black voters who compose a majority of the city of Memphis could choose their representative in Washington. With a nod from the Supreme Court, the state's ruling Republicans took barely a week to wipe that district off the map."

"Tennessee yesterday enacted legislation that splits much of Memphis among three separate districts, diluting the votes of Black residents and all but guaranteeing Republicans an additional House seat. The move was the first, and surely not the last, GOP legislative response to the Supreme Court's decision last week gutting enforcement of the Voting Rights Act."

"Across the South, Republicans are rushing to redraw congressional districts that, because of the Court's 6-3 ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, they believe they are no longer required to reserve for nonwhite voters, who predominantly cast ballots for Democrats. Voting-rights advocates expected GOP-led states to use the ruling to escalate a nationwide gerrymandering race."

"Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry invoked emergency powers usually meant for natural disasters to suspend a primary election that was already under way to give lawmakers time to redistrict. Alabama Republicans held votes during a tornado watch while a storm flooded the state capitol to allow for new primary elections if federal courts clear the state's path to redistrict. South Carolina legislators also took an initial step toward gerrymandering the district of Representative James Clyburn."

For over four decades, Tennessee’s Ninth Congressional District enabled Memphis’s Black majority to elect a representative in Washington. After the Supreme Court decision limiting Voting Rights Act enforcement, Tennessee Republicans quickly eliminated the district by splitting much of Memphis among three districts. The redrawing dilutes Black voting strength and is expected to secure an additional House seat for Republicans. Similar actions are occurring across the South as GOP-led states redraw districts, relying on the Court’s ruling to justify not reserving districts for nonwhite voters. Some states used emergency measures to suspend or rerun elections to complete redistricting, while others began steps targeting prominent Black representatives. These changes may improve Republican chances in upcoming midterm elections.

Read at The Atlantic