U.S. — Redistricting has impacted majority-Black and plurality-Black congressional districts in Republican-led states. In Texas, Florida, Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee, and North Carolina, Black communities are no longer linked together and are absorbed into majority-white areas.

Texas enacted a new congressional map that shifts five seats toward Republicans. The new Texas map has led to a loss of Black congressional representation in the Houston metro area. Black voters in Houston were shuffled, with much of the previous 9th Congressional District becoming the new 18th District.

The new Texas 18th District includes majority-Black neighborhoods in Houston such as Sunnyside, suburbs like Missouri City, and areas north through the Third and Fifth Wards. Many precincts in Sunnyside, Missouri City, and the Third and Fifth Wards voted for Kamala Harris in 2024 with up to 80% support.

The Texas redistricting pitted two Black Democratic incumbents against each other. Rep. Al Green, who represents the 9th District, lost to Rep. Christian Menefee in the May Democratic primary runoff for the new 18th District. Historically Black areas in northern Texas suburbs, such as Independence Heights and Greens Landing, moved from the 18th District into the 29th District. The Texas 29th District was 15% Black and is now about 25% Black.

In May, Florida Republicans enacted new congressional districts. Florida Republicans enacted new districts hoping to help their party gain four seats in the House of Representatives. Florida's 20th District, which had the largest Black population in the state, was a target of redistricting.

Gov. Ron DeSantis called the claw-shaped 20th District an unconstitutional racial gerrymander that needed to be reworked. The new Florida 20th District is more square-shaped. The Black share of the population in Florida's 20th District is 45%, down from nearly 53% before redistricting. The northern part of Florida's previous 20th District included majority-Black neighborhoods in Belle Glade, Riviera Beach, and West Palm Beach. Belle Glade, Riviera Beach, and West Palm Beach voted around 70 points toward Kamala Harris in 2024. Belle Glade is now part of Florida's 22nd District. Riviera Beach and West Palm Beach are now part of Florida's 23rd District. Florida's 23rd District has a Black population of 26%.

Alabama's new map eliminates one of the state's two majority-Black districts. Alabama's previous majority-Black district started at Mobile in southwest Alabama and cut east to the Georgia border. Mobile and Montgomery are now separated into Alabama's 1st District and 2nd District.

Alabama's 2nd District is 42% Black. Montgomery is now in the same district as some of the strongest Republican precincts in the southeastern part of Alabama. Some of the strongest Republican precincts in southeastern Alabama voted between 70% and 80% toward Donald Trump. Alabama's 1st District now includes Baldwin and Washington counties. Baldwin and Washington counties are majority-white areas where Trump voters outnumbered Harris voters nearly four to one.

In Tennessee, Republican lawmakers removed the state's only majority-Black district. Tennessee's 9th District was 62% Black and concentrated around Memphis. The Memphis area is now split into three districts: the 5th, 8th, and 9th.

The new Tennessee 9th District is mostly absorbed into Shelbyville, suburban Nashville, and parts of southern Tennessee. The Black population in Tennessee's 9th District was cut almost in half to just under 33%. Tennessee's 5th and 8th Districts merge predominantly Black areas of Memphis with mostly white, mostly rural areas of the state. Tennessee's 5th and 8th Districts are less than 30% Black.

North Carolina's redistricting occurred in 2025. North Carolina's 1st District was redrawn to help Republicans gain a seat in the House. North Carolina's 1st District had the highest Black population in the state at around 42%.

North Carolina's 1st District was merged with counties on the eastern shore, such as Carteret, Hyde, and Beaufort counties. Carteret, Hyde, and Beaufort counties in North Carolina have gone solidly Republican in recent elections. North Carolina's 1st District is now about 34% Black. North Carolina's 1st District had included the predominantly Black areas of Wilson and Goldsboro. Wilson and Goldsboro are now in North Carolina's 3rd District. North Carolina's 3rd District is now 31% Black.

Republicans stated the new districts are intended to boost their party ahead of midterm elections. Voting in Texas, Florida, Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee, and North Carolina is generally racially polarized, with Black voters a major voting bloc for the Democratic Party. Nearly 78% of Black voters in Texas, Florida, Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee, and North Carolina voted for Kamala Harris in the 2024 election.

The analysis relies on population data from the 2020 census. Previous district boundary maps come from the Census Bureau. New boundary maps were sourced from state government websites.

The changes affect congressional representation in states where Black voters have historically formed a large portion of the Democratic base. The restructuring of district lines alters the demographic composition of seats that previously elected Black representatives or relied heavily on Black voter turnout. These adjustments occur in a political environment where voting patterns show strong racial polarization, with Black voters supporting Democratic candidates at high rates.

PureSource News previously reported that Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry planned to delay the state primary for redistricting purposes. The legislative actions in these six states represent an effort to reshape the electoral map ahead of upcoming midterm elections. The new boundaries determine which communities are grouped together for federal representation, affecting the political influence of specific demographic groups within each district.