Mississippi Set To Add GOP-Leaning Seats In Redistricting Bid

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves announced he will convene a special legislative session to redraw the state’s Supreme Court judicial districts, setting the stage for a high-stakes legal and political battle tied to an upcoming U.S. Supreme Court ruling that could reshape election law nationwide.

Reeves confirmed the session will begin 21 days after the Court issues its decision in Louisiana v. Callais, a case widely viewed as pivotal in determining the future of the Voting Rights Act of 1965—particularly the use of race in drawing electoral maps.

“During the recently completed regular session, the Legislature discussed drawing new maps to comply with a decision from a federal judge from the Northern District of Mississippi – a decision that has been appealed to the 5th Circuit and the appeal has been heretofore stayed pending future U.S. Supreme Court decisions,” Reeves declared.

He emphasized that the Legislature has not yet had a fair opportunity to act due to the pending Supreme Court decision.

“The entire world knows the Callais decision has not yet been handed down by the U.S. Supreme Court. It is a decision that could (and in my view should) forever change the way we draw electoral maps. It is my belief and federal law requires that the Mississippi Legislature be given the first opportunity to draw these maps. And the fact is, they haven’t had a fair opportunity to do that because of the pending Callais decision,” he continued.

Reeves framed the issue as a fundamental constitutional question, expressing hope the Court will reject race-based redistricting.

“For those reasons, I am using my constitutional authority to allow the Mississippi Legislature to use their constitutionally recognized right to draw these maps once the new rules of the game are known following Callais. It is my sincere hope that, in deciding Callais, the U.S. Supreme Court will reaffirm the animating principle that all Americans are created equal and that when the government classifies its citizens on the basis of race, even as a perceived remedy to right a wrong, it engages in the offensive and demeaning assumption that Americans of a particular race, because of their race, think alike and share the same interests and preferences – a concept that is odious to a free people whose institutions are founded upon the doctrine of equality,” he added.

“The special session will take place on the calendar day that falls 21 days after the U.S. Supreme Court issues the Callais decision,” Reeves said.

The move follows a federal court ruling that found Mississippi’s judicial districts—unchanged since 1987—violate federal law. In 2025, U.S. District Judge Sharion Aycock determined that the current map, particularly in the Central District, dilutes the voting power of Black residents in violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.

That ruling stemmed from a lawsuit filed by left-leaning advocacy groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union and the Southern Poverty Law Center, along with private attorneys.

Mississippi has since appealed the decision to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which paused proceedings pending the outcome of Louisiana v. Callais. The case centers on whether creating a second majority-Black congressional district in Louisiana to comply with the Voting Rights Act amounts to unconstitutional racial gerrymandering under the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution and 15th Amendment to the United States Constitution.

Meanwhile, speculation is intensifying over how the Court may rule. Sean Spicer, who served as press secretary during Donald J. Trump’s first term, suggested the decision may already be finalized.

Speaking on “The Huddle” podcast, Spicer claimed that justices in the minority are deliberately delaying their dissents, potentially preventing states from redrawing maps ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. He also indicated that Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act could be significantly weakened—or even overturned—an outcome that would dramatically shift the political landscape across the South.

If that scenario unfolds, Mississippi’s upcoming special session could become one of the first major tests of a post-Callais redistricting framework—one that prioritizes race-neutral principles and reasserts legislative authority over federal court intervention.