Louisiana Gov. to Suspend Congressional Primaries

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry announced plans Thursday to suspend the state's May 16 primary election for congressional races following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that invalidated the current congressional district map as an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. The decision, issued Wednesday, affects the six U.S. House districts in the state, where early voting was set to begin Saturday and some overseas and absentee ballots have already been cast or submitted.

In a 6-3 ruling, the Supreme Court held that the 2022 map violated the plaintiffs' constitutional rights by relying excessively on race in its design. "That map is an unconstitutional gerrymander, and its use would violate the plaintiffs' constitutional rights," Justice Samuel Alito wrote in the majority opinion. The court found the evidence of racial disparity in prior maps insufficient to justify race-based districting under the Voting Rights Act.

Landry, a Republican, informed Republican House candidates of his intentions during calls on Wednesday, according to people familiar with the discussions. He and state Attorney General Liz Murrill issued a joint statement on social media, noting that the ruling enjoins the...