Alabama is now set to see a major shakeup in its congressional delegation, thanks to a federal court ruling late Monday night that replaced the state’s current congressional districts with seven new ones.
The court made the move after ruling that Alabama’s Republican-controlled legislature improperly gerrymandered two of the state’s seven congressional districts. The new districts, which will take effect in the 2022 Congressional election, give Democrats a much better chance at winning a seat in the traditionally conservative state.
The Supreme Court had initially ruled against the Alabama congressional redistricting, but the legislature appealed the ruling. In the end, the Court of Appeals sided with the Supreme Court, ordering the legislature to draw up seven new districts that would be politically balanced, instead of giving undue advantage to one party over the other.
The new congressional map could have a major impact on the state. Since the districts will become effective in 2022, Alabama’s Districts 1 and 2, both of which are held by Republicans, are seen as the most vulnerable. Without the former gerrymandering in place, a Democrat may now win in either district.
The new districts are also expected to give Democrats an edge in District 3, which is up for grabs in the 2022 election. This is due to the fact that the district’s new boundaries now heavily favor Democrats, increasing the odds of the party obtaining a seat in the statehouse.
The changes come at a critical moment in Alabama’s politics, with the state having just elected a Democrat to the US Senate and having seen an increase in the number of Democrats in the state legislature last year.
With the new congressional districts likely resulting in a Democratic gain in Congress, this could be the beginning of a major shift in Alabama’s political landscape. It remains to be seen how the state’s GOP-controlled legislature will respond to the court’s ruling, but it’s sure to be a heated debate leading up to the 2022 election.