Trump urges Mississippi to redraw congressional map; legal, political hurdles loom
President Donald Trump has urged Mississippi officials to redraw the state’s four congressional districts as part of a national push to flip Democratic seats to Republicans, several state and federal officials told Mississippi Today. Those officials said the effort would face significant legal and political obstacles.
Mississippi has already held primary elections for congressional races, so lawmakers and the governor would need to invalidate those results to implement a new map, several officials told Mississippi Today. The officials said erasing primary results would be unprecedented and could face court challenges.
The 2nd Congressional District, represented by Rep. Bennie Thompson, is Mississippi’s only Democratic seat and includes most of the majority-Black Jackson metro area and the Delta, several officials told Mississippi Today. The article noted that Mississippi has the highest percentage Black population of any state — about 38 percent — and said lawmakers could try to dilute Black voting strength by moving parts of the 2nd District into surrounding majority-white districts. Thompson’s office did not respond to a request for comment, Mississippi Today reported.
Lawmakers ended their regular session in early April, and Republican Gov. Tate Reeves is the only official who can call a special session, during which he sets the agenda, the article said. Reeves has ordered lawmakers back to Jackson on May 20 to debate redrawing the state’s three Supreme Court districts; his office did not respond to a request for comment about congressional plans, Mississippi Today reported.
The push follows a U.S. Supreme Court decision that struck down a majority-Black congressional district in Louisiana and reduced certain protections against racial discrimination in redistricting, Mississippi Today reported. The article added that other Republican-led Southern states, including Alabama, Tennessee and Louisiana, have moved or are considering moves to redraw congressional maps ahead of the November midterm elections.
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