BATON ROUGE — Governor Jeff Landry has suspended Louisiana’s closed party primary congressional elections in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling Wednesday that declared the state’s congressional maps unconstitutional.
Other elections scheduled for May 16 and June 27 will be held as normal, he said Thursday after issuing an executive order. Early voting for the May 16 election begins Saturday.
In a joint statement, Landry and Attorney General Liz Murrill said the ruling means the state is now barred from using the existing map.
“Yesterday’s historic Supreme Court victory for Louisiana has an immediate consequence for the State,” the statement said. “The Supreme Court previously stayed an injunction against the State’s enforcement of the current Congressional map. By the Court’s order, however, that stay automatically terminated with yesterday’s decision. Accordingly, the State is currently enjoined from carrying out congressional elections under the current map. We are working together with the Legislature and the Secretary of State’s office to develop a path forward.”
Louisiana Secretary of State Nany Landry released a statement Thursday saying her office is working through the Supreme Court’s ruling and impact.
“My lawyers are currently analyzing the opinion. We are limited in what we can say at this time as this continues to be active litigation, with the case remanded for proceedings back to the Western District,” Nancy Landry said.
The ruling stems from the case Callais v. Louisiana, where the court struck down Louisiana’s map as an unconstitutional racial gerrymander.
At issue was a second majority-Black congressional district drawn by Louisiana lawmakers in 2024. The Legislature, controlled by a Republican majority, created the district after earlier legal challenges over minority representation in the state’s congressional boundaries.
Opponents argued the map relied too heavily on race in drawing district lines, violating constitutional limits. The Supreme Court ultimately agreed, invalidating the map.
The decision could have broader national implications, as it addresses how states can balance race when drawing congressional districts, an issue at the center of redistricting battles across the country.
State Sen. Rick Edmonds, R-Baton Rouge, said he intends to continue his campaign for the congressional seat.
“While the map is shifting, our mission remains the same: the Capital Region’s need for proven, effective leadership is absolute,” he said in a statement released Thursday afternoon.
Lindsay Garcia, a Democratic candidate, and Eugene Collins, a community activist and former president of the NAACP’s Baton Rouge chapter, filed a lawsuit Thursday in federal court in an effort to reverse the governor’s suspension of the election.
It argues that the Supreme Court’s ruling did not order the election suspended and that since mail-in ballots have already been distributed and some have been returned, the “election was already underway.”
This is a developing story. As soon as more details are provided, the story will be updated. Check back for new information.
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