Supreme Court Ruling Sparks Alabama Redistricting Battle

0:00It's April 29th. This is Birmingham News Today, powered by AI. I'm Cory with the story. The Supreme Court just dropped a 6-3 ruling, striking down Louisiana's Congressional map as a racial gerrymander. This narrow decision keeps Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act intact, but makes it tougher to prove race-based district violations. Now Alabama's in the spotlight, with Republicans eyeing a redraw of their seven congressional districts to boost their seats ahead of 20. 26 elections. Alabama already has two Black majority districts, thanks to a 2023 court order. The seventh, held by Democrat Terry Sewell, since it flipped in the 90s, covers Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Montgomery, and the Black Belt. The second got reshaped last year in the second district, now with Democrat Shomari figures. GOP leaders say it's time to scrap race-driven lines for community-based ones. Times are firing off everywhere. Republicans like former Congressman Mo Brooks call it political malpractice not to act fast,

1:04pushing Governor Kay Ivey for a special summer session. Retberry Moore and others want maps redrawn now. Sue will slam it as a death-blow to voting rights, saying it dilutes Black voices and hands Republicans' easy wins. Officials are scrambling. Secretary of State Wes Allen's reviewing the ruling, kicking questions to Attorney General Steve Marshall, who hasn't commented. Primaries hit May 19th with runoffs, June 16th, so experts like Professor Jess Brown Dow changes make it in time to unprecedented to reschedule. This could ripple to Florida and other states for 2026, redistricting, maybe even local races. While Louisiana's map gets fixed quick, Alabama's fight highlights the ongoing tug of war over fair representation in the divided Congress.