Alabama, Tennessee take on redistricting as voters in Indiana, Ohio head to polls

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday allowed its recent Louisiana redistricting ruling to take effect immediately, clearing the way for state officials to move quickly toward a new congressional map ahead of the November midterm elections.

The move strengthens Louisiana Republicans’ position as they defend Gov. Jeff Landry’s decision to delay the state’s congressional primary elections and seek a new map that could be more favorable to the GOP.

Justice Samuel Alito wrote a concurrence defending the court’s action, joined by Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch.

“The dissent in this suit levels charges that cannot go unanswered,” Alito wrote. He said Jackson’s position would require Louisiana’s 2026 congressional elections to be held under a map the court had already found unconstitutional.

“The dissent does not claim that it is now too late for the state legislature or the District Court to adopt a new map that complies with the Constitution,” Alito wrote, rebuking Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson as the lone noted dissenter.

“Nor does the dissent assert that it is not feasible for the elections to be held under such a map.”

Instead, Alito said, the dissent relied on reasons he described as “trivial at best” and “baseless and insulting.”

The order follows the court’s April 29 decision striking down a Louisiana congressional map that created a second Black-majority U.S. House district. The court ruled 6-3 that the map relied too heavily on race, violating the constitutional principle of equal protection.

“To avoid the appearance of partiality here, we could, as per usual, opt to stay on the sidelines and take no position by applying our default procedures,” Jackson wrote, drawing the Alito rebuke.

“But, today, the Court chooses the opposite. Not content to have decided the law, it now takes steps to influence its implementation.”

Fox News' Chief Legal Correspondent Shannon Bream contributed to this report.

Tennessee State Rep. Jody Barrett, R-Dixson, is backing President Donald Trump on the redistricting “fight,” saying Republicans are right to revisit the state’s congressional map as part of a broader push to ensure voters, not political insiders, decide elections.

“President Trump has been clear from day one: you don’t sit back while the system is being manipulated,” Barrett said. “You fight back. That’s exactly what Tennesseans expect, and that’s exactly what I’ll continue to do.”

Barrett, widely regarded as one of Tennessee’s most conservative lawmakers, said the issue is about making sure Tennesseans are “fully and fairly represented” and that their values are carried to Washington. He argued voters are increasingly frustrated with political systems they see as disconnected from the people they are supposed to serve.

“For years, Democrats have aggressively worked to reshape the political map in states across the country. People see it, and they’re tired of it,” Barrett said. “This isn’t about politics. It’s about making sure Tennesseans aren’t sidelined while the rules are being rewritten somewhere else.”

Barrett said any redistricting effort should be judged by whether it restores confidence in elections and puts voters back in control.

“This comes down to one simple question,” Barrett said. “Do voters choose their representatives, or do politicians choose their voters? I’ll always stand with the voters. No exceptions.”

Political analysts will be closely monitoring voter turnout in Tuesday's Ohio primary elections. A strong showing by Democrat Senate candidate Sherrod Brown could hint at whether Democrats might score an upset victory in their battle for the Senate.

At the same time, three U.S. House of Representatives races in Ohio could also provide clues on Democrats' more likely chances of winning control of that chamber, which Republicans now hold with a narrow majority.

Last year, Ohio approved a redistricting plan that Republicans drew up to gain an added edge in the November elections.

That has put Democrat Rep. Marcy Kaptur's four-decade House career in jeopardy. While she is expected to win her party primary, her northwest district in the Toledo area is now composed of significantly more Trump supporters, making her an underdog in the general election, according to analysts.

Similarly, Democrat Rep. Greg Landsman's Cincinnati district is now more Republican-friendly, although he is seen holding an edge against the likely winner of Tuesday's Republican primary.

Meanwhile, Democrat Rep. Emilia Sykes' newly drawn district in the Akron area could boost her prospects in November in a somewhat competitive race with whichever candidate emerges from a crowded Republican primary field.

Sykes is unopposed in the Democrat primary.

Reuters contributed to this report.

It is primary day in Republican-dominated Indiana, where President Donald Trump’s immense sway over the GOP is on the line, as his endorsements in key races will be tested.

In neighboring Ohio, another right-leaning state, some of Tuesday's top primaries will tee up crucial general election showdowns in November’s midterm elections, when Republicans will be defending their slim Senate and razor-thin House majorities.

Two congressional incumbents in Indiana — Republican Rep. Jim Baird and Democrat Rep. Andre Carson — face serious primary challenges.

And in Ohio, Republicans will pick from a crowded primary field in the race to face off with vulnerable Democrat Rep. Marcy Kaptur.

This is an excerpt from Paul Steinhauser's report. Get the full story here.

Tennessee's redistricting special legislative session Tuesday will weigh a map that will potentially turn the state's lone blue district red before the 2026 midterms.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, who is term-limited and leaving office after this year, moved quickly to call the special session after a conversation last week with President Donald Trump on the heels of the landmark Supreme Court decision that found race should not be used to dictate the drawing of legislative district maps.

"We owe it to Tennesseans to ensure our congressional districts accurately reflect the will of Tennessee voters," Lee wrote in a statement, announcing the session after the Trump call, expressing urgency "to comply with mandatory election qualifying timelines" and make sure a new map is "enacted as soon as possible."

"After consultation with the Lt. Governor, Speaker of the House, Attorney General, and Secretary of State, I believe the General Assembly has a responsibility to review the map and ensure it remains fair, legal, and defensible."

Get the full story here.