Republican leaders in Alabama and Tennessee are moving quickly to redraw congressional districts after a recent Supreme Court decision weakened a key part of the Voting Rights Act. The shift could reshape political power ahead of upcoming U.S. elections.
Both states have called special legislative sessions this week. Their goal is clear: adjust district boundaries in ways that could increase Republican representation in Congress.
In Alabama, Gov. Kay Ivey brought lawmakers back to Montgomery starting Monday. The plan includes preparing for possible special primary elections if courts allow new district maps before November. Republican leaders argue the change could secure all seven of the state’s congressional seats for their party. Alabama currently sends five Republicans and two Democrats to Washington.
“As I continue saying, Alabama knows our state, our people and our districts best,” Ivey said.
Tennessee followed a similar path. Gov. Bill Lee scheduled a special session beginning Tuesday. Lawmakers are expected to target the state’s 9th Congressional District, a Democratic stronghold centered in Memphis. The proposal would split the district and spread its voters across nearby Republican areas.
“We owe it to Tennesseans to ensure our congressional districts accurately reflect the will of Tennessee voters,” Lee said Friday.
The push comes days after the Supreme Court struck down a majority-Black district in Louisiana, ruling that race played too large a role in its design. That decision has triggered a wave of action across Southern states, where lawmakers now see an opening to redraw maps before the 2026 midterms or later elections.
President Donald Trump has openly encouraged the effort. He suggested the changes could help Republicans gain up to 20 seats in the House.
“We should demand that State Legislatures do what the Supreme Court says must be done,” Trump said. “That is more important than administrative convenience.”
The response has been swift beyond Alabama and Tennessee. Florida approved new district lines the same day the ruling was issued. Louisiana delayed its congressional primary to allow time for redistricting, a move already facing legal challenges. South Carolina officials have also signaled interest in revisiting their maps.
Critics warn the changes could weaken minority voting power and revive old tactics used to dilute representation.
Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia linked the decision to a broader historical pattern.
“They said we’re going to allow partisan politicians to gerrymander you, so that even when you show up, your voice won’t have as much impact because we’ll play with the lines,” he said Sunday from the pulpit at Ebenezer Baptist Church, where Martin Luther King Jr. once served as pastor. “That isn’t a new method. That’s an old method. That’s a Jim Crow method.”
Legal fights are already underway. Federal judges previously ordered Alabama to adopt a map with two districts containing significant Black populations and to keep it until after the 2030 Census. State officials are now appealing that ruling, hoping the Supreme Court’s latest decision will allow them to revert to an earlier map.
In Tennessee, timing is also a concern. Candidate filing has already closed, and the state’s primary election is set for August 6. Democrats argue that changing districts now could violate legal standards.
“We cannot keep doing things like this and calling ourselves a democracy,” said Democratic State Sen. Ramesh Akbari during a news conference in Memphis.
Alabama Democrats have also pushed back. Former Sen. Doug Jones called the move a direct attempt to remove Black lawmakers from Congress.
“This special session is a blatant power grab by Republican leadership in Montgomery to eliminate seats held by Black Democrats,” Jones said.
The conflict reflects a broader national struggle over congressional maps. Both parties have engaged in redistricting efforts in recent years, often responding to each other’s moves. Texas Republicans considered similar changes last year, prompting Democrats in California to act as well. So far, at least eight states have updated their House districts through legislatures, commissions, or courts.
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