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Louisiana’s congressional elections have been thrown into immediate uncertainty after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the state’s current map, triggering a rapid political response that halted House primaries and ignited a high-stakes redistricting battle just weeks before voting was set to begin.

Sudden Election Freeze Sends Shockwaves Through Louisiana Politics

Louisiana suspended its House primaries Thursday after the Supreme Court ruled against its congressional map, forcing state leaders to abruptly pause a tightly scheduled election calendar already in motion.

Republican Gov. Jeff Landry issued an executive order delaying the House races until July 15 or until such time as determined by the legislature. The elections had been scheduled for May 16, with a June 27 run-off date.

Early voting was expected to begin Saturday, but officials confirmed that all other contests, including the state’s closely watched GOP Senate primary, will continue as planned.

Governor Cites Legal and Constitutional Risk

In a formal statement, Landry defended the move, warning that proceeding under the current map would compromise the system itself.

"This executive order ensures we uphold the rule of law while giving the Legislature the time it needs to pass a fair and lawful congressional map," he added.

He also argued that continuing under the struck-down map would carry serious consequences for voters and the legitimacy of the election.

"Using the current maps would undermine the integrity of our system and violate the rights of our voters."

Private Warnings and Fast-Moving Decision Behind the Scenes

Behind the public announcement, tensions had already been building.

Landry reportedly told House Republican candidates on Wednesday that he was preparing to suspend the elections, according to a person familiar with the conversations who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private discussions. The governor’s decision was first reported by the Washington Post.

During phone calls with candidates, Landry indicated he would formalize the delay Friday and suggested he could rely on emergency executive authority to pause the election entirely, according to the same source.

The move represents a legally risky strategy given the compressed timeline, especially as the state legislature remains in recess until next week.

Trump Praises Rapid Redistricting Response

Former President Donald Trump quickly weighed in, celebrating Louisiana officials for acting swiftly following the court’s ruling and praising efforts to reshape the congressional map.

"Thank you to the Great Governor of Louisiana, Jeff Landry, for his leadership on the very important Callais case, and for moving so quickly to fix the Unconstitutionality of Louisiana’s Congressional Maps," Trump said in a post on his social media platform. "He has shown tremendous Vision, Strength, and Leadership. Thank you Jeff, keep up the GREAT work!"

The ruling and subsequent political reaction are part of a broader national push among Republican-led states to redraw maps ahead of upcoming elections.

House Speaker Supports Delay, Pushes Alternative Election Plan

House Speaker Mike Johnson also backed the decision to suspend the primaries, arguing the state had no viable alternative after the court ruling.

"The governor has no choice but to suspend it," Johnson said. "The court has ruled our map unconstitutional."

Johnson also floated a major change in how Louisiana could proceed, suggesting the state abandon traditional primaries entirely in favor of a statewide “jungle” election system.

He proposed holding an all-party election in November with a runoff in December, arguing other states with unconstitutional maps should consider similar approaches before the midterms.

"All states that have unconstitutional maps should look at that very carefully, and I think they should do it before the midterms," he added.

National Redistricting Battle Intensifies

The Supreme Court’s decision to weaken Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act has triggered a wave of political maneuvering across several Republican-led southern states.

From Georgia to Tennessee, party leaders and candidates are calling for special legislative sessions to dismantle majority-minority districts and redraw electoral boundaries.

However, despite growing momentum, analysts say passing new maps before the midterm elections will remain a significant political and legal challenge, as time runs short and court scrutiny intensifies.

The Louisiana suspension now stands as one of the most dramatic early consequences of the ruling, injecting fresh uncertainty into an already volatile election season.