Redistricting Debates Center on Virginia Referendum and Supreme Court Ruling on Louisiana Map

Here is the formatted article.

"Without this change, the national electoral fight would not be fair." – Eric Holder on the Virginia referendum.

Redistricting in Focus: Virginia Referendum and Supreme Court Ruling

Two separate but related redistricting developments were discussed in recent interviews on "Face the Nation": a proposed referendum in Virginia to redraw congressional districts, and a Supreme Court ruling that struck down a Louisiana congressional map.

Virginia Redistricting Referendum

Former Attorney General Eric Holder, who serves as chairman of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, appeared on the program on April 19, 2026. He discussed a proposed referendum in Virginia that would alter the current congressional district boundaries.

Holder stated the redistricting effort in Virginia is a response to actions taken by Republican politicians in Texas, Missouri, and North Carolina. He characterized the proposed Virginia measure as temporary, limited to the current and one additional election cycle. He argued that without this change, the national electoral fight would not be fair, citing actions in other states.

When asked about past criticisms of gerrymandering, Holder said the current situation is a crisis that must be addressed first, and expressed hope for future federal legislation to ban partisan gerrymandering.

The interviewer referenced an op-ed by Philip Thompson of the National Black Nonpartisan Redistricting Organization, which raised concerns about the proposed Virginia map’s impact on Black political influence. Holder stated the claim that the map fails to consolidate Black political influence is untrue, arguing that preventing further "unchecked" presidential power is in the best interest of African Americans.

The interviewer noted that a bipartisan redistricting commission was already in place in Virginia prior to the proposed referendum. The Supreme Court’s upholding of redistricting actions in both Texas and California was also mentioned.

Supreme Court Ruling on Louisiana Congressional Map

Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA) discussed the Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision striking down a 2022 Louisiana congressional map that had been drawn to create a second majority-Black district.

The Court’s conservative majority ruled that compliance with Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act did not justify the state’s use of race in drawing district lines. The decision limits the application of Section 2, making it harder to bring lawsuits claiming racial discrimination in redistricting without proof of intent.

Sen. Warnock characterized the ruling as a "devastating blow" to democracy and people of color. He argued that requiring proof of intent ignores historical voting rights denial following the 15th Amendment.

Warnock referenced the 2013 Supreme Court decision in Shelby v. Holder, which weakened Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act. He stated that since that ruling, the racial turnout gap has widened, especially in states previously covered by Section 5. He called for Congress to reinstate preclearance requirements for certain states.

Warnock expressed opposition to partisan gerrymandering but said his party could not "unilaterally disarm" in response to Republican redistricting efforts. He cited his own bill to ban partisan gerrymandering, which has no Republican co-sponsors.

The interview noted that since the ruling, governors of Louisiana, Alabama, South Carolina, and Tennessee have indicated interest in redrawing congressional maps. The current Congress has a record 66 Black members.