WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Wednesday struck down Louisiana's second majority-Black congressional district in a decision that could open the door for Republican-led states to eliminate Black and Latino electoral districts that tend to favor Democrats and affect the balance of power in Congress.

The court's conservative majority found that the district, represented by Democrat Cleo Fields, relied too heavily on race. Chief Justice John Roberts described the district as a "snake" that stretches more than 200 miles linking parts of Shreveport, Alexandria, Lafayette and Baton Rouge areas.

The decision weakens a landmark voting rights law's protections against discrimination in redistricting. It's unclear how much is left of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which has been the main tool for challenging racially discriminatory election practices since its passage in 1965.

What the Left Is Saying

Voting rights advocates argue the ruling undermines decades of progress in protecting minority political representation. The Leadership Conference on Civil Rights called the decision "a devastating blow to Black voters and all communities of color who depend on the Voting Rights Act to have their voices heard."

Representative Jim Clyburn of South Carolina said the court had "once again placed its thumb on the scale against democracy itself." He noted that the ruling comes as Republicans seek to preserve their thin majority in the 2026 midterm elections.

Civil rights attorneys argued the decision will make it harder for Black Americans to elect candidates of their choice, reversing gains made since the Civil Rights Movement. They contend that districts like Louisiana's are necessary given persistent racial polarization in voting patterns across much of the South.

What the Right Is Saying

Conservative legal scholars praised the ruling as a correct application of constitutional principles. The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty and other organizations argued that race should not be the predominant factor in drawing district lines.

Chief Justice Roberts wrote that the Louisiana district improperly used race as the primary criterion, noting its unusual 200-mile "snake" configuration designed to connect Black communities across disparate areas. He was joined by Justices Thomas, Alito, Gorsuch and Barrett.

Republican redistricting experts argue the decision restores balance to how districts can be drawn, preventing states from being compelled to create majority-minority districts that may themselves constitute impermissible segregation by race.

What the Numbers Show

Nearly 70 of the 435 congressional districts are protected by Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, according to election law expert Nicholas Stephanopoulos at the University of Chicago. Louisiana has six congressional districts total.

About one-third of Louisianans identify as Black, and they currently form majorities in two of the state's six congressional districts under maps drawn after a 2021 Alabama Supreme Court decision prompted the state legislature to add the second majority-Black district.

The court's 2019 Rucho v. Common Cause decision already allowed legislatures to draw extremely partisan districts without federal judicial review, opening the door for aggressive gerrymandering by whichever party controls state government.

The Bottom Line

Wednesday's ruling marks a significant contraction of Section 2 enforcement and could trigger new redistricting battles in states with large minority populations. It remains unclear whether the decision came early enough for Louisiana and other affected states to conduct new map-drawing before the 2026 elections, when Republicans are fighting to maintain their narrow House majority.

The court is also considering a separate Alabama case that could further limit Section 2's reach. Legal experts warn that without robust voting rights protections, communities of color could see diminished representation in Congress for years to come. The decision underscores how control of the federal judiciary has become a central battleground in American electoral politics.