Georgia GOP Pushes Contested Congressional Map Amid Allegations of Court Order Breach and Gerrymandering

Georgia’s GOP is moving ahead with a congressional map that maintains a 9-5 Republican House majority, a move contested by Democrats, alleging a breach of a federal court order. The proposed map divides Rep. Lucy McBath’s district in Atlanta and forms a new west Atlanta district in response to a judge’s ruling that the state’s congressional boundaries violated the Voting Rights Act.

The state Senate passed the proposal, prompting further debate in the House. Judge Steve Jones had previously ruled that the current boundaries suppressed Black voters’ influence, especially in west Atlanta, mandating the creation of a new map. The GOP’s plan attempts compliance without ceding a House seat to Democrats.

Critics, including Democrats and anti-gerrymandering activists, argue that the new maps maintain discriminatory representation while only partially addressing the court’s concerns. McBath’s campaign condemned the proposed boundaries, vowing to await Judge Jones’s decision before taking further action.

State Rep. Sam Park labeled the Republican map as unlawful, emphasizing its maintenance of an unrepresentative majority and accused the GOP of trying to offset racial discrimination with partisan gerrymandering. The maps await Judge Jones’s review before implementation.

Source: Georgia advances congressional maps in favor of GOP despite concerns over law | The Hill