The U.S. Supreme Court ordered Alabama to create a second majority-Black congressional district. As stevebenen writes, Republicans in the state have apparently decided to try defying the justices' ruling.
It was early last month when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Alabama’s congressional map was racially discriminatory under the Voting Rights Act. In a surprising victory for progressives, the justices ruled, 5 to 4, that the state’s Republican majority would have to redraw its district lines to include a second majority-Black congressional district.
GOP officials in the Yellowhammer State heard the high court, but they apparently didn’t much care for the directions. NBC Newsthat Alabama Republicans approved a new map, but like the one that was struck down, it includes only one majority-Black district. The GOP-controlled Legislature had called a special session to redraw an earlier map after the Supreme Court reaffirmed a federal court order to include two districts where Black voters make up voting-age majorities, “or something quite close to it.” But on Friday, state Republicans approved a new map with just one majority-Black seat and a second district that is approximately 40% Black.
Republican Gov. Kay Ivey formally approved the new map on Friday night. In a written statement issued soon after, the governor said, “The Legislature knows our state, our people and our districts better than the federal courts or activist groups, and I am pleased that they answered the call, remained focused and produced new districts ahead of the court deadline.”
In other words, as Ivey sees it, Alabama Republicans know their state better than Supreme Court justices, so they feel comfortable defying the justices’ ruling.
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