LOUISIANA — The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in Louisiana v. Callais that lawmakers in Louisiana illegally created a new majority-Black congressional district. The decision split along ideological lines, with Justice Samuel Alito writing the majority opinion.

The opinion held that using race to draw election maps is unnecessary and unconstitutional, while using political affiliation to draw maps is constitutional. Following the ruling, Republican-led states across the South began efforts to redraw congressional districts, and Tennessee's Republican governor signed a new congressional map into law on Thursday. Many Republican-controlled states are rushing to change their maps this year. The Republican Party holds a narrow majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Congressman Cleo Fields, whose Louisiana district was at issue, said the ruling stands as binding law. "Let's be clear: Once the Supreme Court rules, it's the final judgment of the highest court of the land." He framed the underlying dispute in terms of representation. "The real issue is whether or not a person who looks like me will have the opportunity to serve in Congress, and that's what that fight has always been about," Fields said.

Veteran conservative lawyer Hans von Spakovsky welcomed the decision. "I think this is one of a series of, frankly, good decisions by the court that is saying racial discrimination is wrong," he said. He added: "The point of our Constitution, and the Voting Rights Act, is that everyone is guaranteed an equal opportunity to vote. They are not guaranteed success in the candidates that they think should be elected."

Congressman Jamie Raskin criticized the ruling. "I believe that this decision represents the complete collapse of the Roberts Court into partisan political activity," Raskin said. "They've basically said it's unconstitutional to deliberately create a majority African-American, or majority Hispanic, district, although you can create all the majority White districts you want. That's just considered the norm," he said.