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A federal appeals court blocked a proposed GOP-friendly Alabama congressional map on Tuesday, dealing a temporary setback to Republicans’ redistricting efforts ahead of November’s midterm elections.
Alabama Republicans sought to use a previously blocked 2023 congressional map following the Supreme Court’s recent ruling curbing the use of race in the drawing of electoral districts. Under that map, Republicans were slated to gain one electoral seat by erasing a Black-majority seat held by Democrats in the southeastern part of the state.
However, the three-judge panel said Republicans must continue to use a map that has two majority Black districts where Democrats hold significant advantages.
“Ultimately, we cannot see our way clear to requiring Alabamians to cast their votes in the 2026 elections under a districting plan tainted by intentional race-based discrimination,” the federal judges wrote. “We again cannot understand the 2023 Plan as anything other than intentionally discriminatory.”
Alabama Republicans are expected to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court.
Rep. Shomari Figures, D-Ala., celebrated the panel’s ruling, which could allow him to retain his Democratic-leaning seat.
“I am pleased with the Court’s decision, but this case is still not over,” Figures said. “Although we expected the Court to reach this decision given the overwhelming evidence, we fully expect the State to immediately appeal the decision to the Supreme Court.”
“This is a significant step in the right direction, but there is still a long way to go before this fight is settled,” he continued.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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