An opinion column in the Magnolia Tribune urged Mississippi lawmakers not to commit to congressional redistricting for the 2026 cycle, saying the move could weaken existing Republican seats and risk inflaming racial tensions, the column said.
The column argued that drawing districts to ensure the election of a Black Democrat could violate the 14th Amendment, but added that the congressional district represented by U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson also reflects the Delta region and that regional lines can provide a nonracial justification, the author wrote. The piece said the Legislature should be cautious about making changes after primaries and noted, “as near as my research tells,” post-primary redistricting has not been tried in Mississippi.
The columnist criticized what they called hyperbolic rhetoric around recent court decisions, saying the majority in Callais v. Louisiana did not “gut” protections and that the Voting Rights Act and Section 2 have limits. The author cited Section 2 language that “nothing in this section establishes a right to have members of a protected class elected in numbers equal to their proportion in the population,” and argued that overlap between race and partisan behavior complicates assessments of intent.
The column recounted a conversation with a younger friend who used a “gun in the room” metaphor to describe political competition, and said such dehumanizing rhetoric can contribute to political violence. The author wrote that Americans increasingly view political opponents as enemies and urged restraint and introspection in the redistricting debate.
To illustrate partisan dynamics, the piece listed examples of Black Republicans elected in conservative areas and noted past partisan mapmaking in Democratic-controlled states, arguing both parties seek to entrench power through redistricting. The author concluded by urging empathy and careful legal and historical consideration, but warned against what they called hyperbolic and irresponsible charges on all sides, the column said.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
