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Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said Friday he will not redraw the state’s congressional map ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, breaking with a growing Republican push across the South following a sweeping Supreme Court decision on voting rights.
The outgoing Republican made clear he would not delay Georgia’s May 19 primary or attempt a last-minute redistricting effort, citing the advanced stage of the election calendar.
“Voting is already underway for the 2026 elections,” Kemp said, signaling that any changes to the state’s congressional lines would have to wait.
His decision comes days after the Supreme Court’s ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, which sharply limited the use of race in drawing congressional districts — a move that effectively weakened key provisions of the Voting Rights Act and opened the door for states to revisit maps that had previously been drawn to ensure minority representation.
While declining to act immediately, Kemp endorsed the court’s decision, calling it a restoration of “fairness” to the redistricting process.
“The Supreme Court’s decision … allows states to pass electoral maps that reflect the will of the voters, not the will of federal judges,” he said.
Still, Kemp acknowledged the ruling’s longer-term implications for Georgia, indicating that the state will likely be required to redraw its maps before the 2028 election cycle.
Across the South, the decision has already triggered rapid political maneuvering. In Louisiana, Republican Gov. Jeff Landry moved to halt his state’s upcoming primary to allow lawmakers to redraw congressional districts after the court struck down its map. Other Republican-led states are weighing similar actions.
The ruling has intensified an already escalating redistricting battle nationwide. Earlier this cycle, former President Donald Trump encouraged Texas Republicans to redraw their maps, prompting counter-moves from both red and blue states, including Florida, North Carolina, California and Virginia. Those efforts had largely balanced out in terms of partisan gains.
Now, with new legal latitude following the Supreme Court’s decision, Republicans are exploring additional redraws that could further reshape the House map — particularly in Southern states with significant Black populations.
Trump said Thursday he had spoken with Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee about potential changes there, including the possibility of eliminating a Democratic-held seat.
Kemp’s decision not to act immediately sets Georgia apart from that emerging strategy, at least for now. But his acknowledgment that new maps are likely before 2028 underscores how the court’s ruling is poised to reverberate well beyond the current election cycle.
