Gov. Jeff Landry defended efforts to redraw the state’s congressional voting maps in a way that is likely to eliminate at least one of the state’s two majority-Black districts in an interview on 60 Minutes about redistricting battles across the country.
“In the United States, we get equal rights,” Landry said. “No one gets extra rights.”
In an interview with host Cecelia Vega that aired Sunday, Landry argued the U.S. has made major progress since the Civil Rights era.
“Barack Obama was elected twice as the United States president. We’ve had a number of minorities elected. We’ve seen a rise of Republican candidates who are Black get elected,” he said. “Are we really trying to dredge up the past only to continue a failed narrative?”
Asked what failed narrative he was referring to, Landry replied, “Well, the failed narrative is that actually that people in Louisiana are racist. That we — that basically we won’t elect Black people. I mean, I disagree with that.”
Vega asked Landry to respond to Black residents who say “someone who looks like you who has not lived their experience does not address their concerns as well as someone who has lived their experience.”
Landry replied: “Well, how is it that a little country boy who grew up in a town that was primarily Black, not lived through those experiences?”
He continued: “You’re saying, I should not judge a person just because the person is Black, and I agree with that. But isn’t it the opposite, that I shouldn’t be judged just because I’m White? Or Hispanic? Or Indian?”
But, in the same segment, Rep. Cleo Fields — who is Black, and whose majority-Black district is likely to be redrawn — disagreed.
“There is progress in the nation. But there is not progress in the Southern part of our country to the extent where you should get rid of the Voting Rights Act,” he said. “There are people in this state who just will not vote for a Black person.”
On April 30, Landry issued an order halting House elections to give the Legislature time to redraw the voting map. He was reacting to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that weakened the Voting Rights Act and found the state’s current voting map — which has two majority-Black districts — unconstitutional.
Landry defended his decision to suspend the election, even though absentee ballots had already been submitted and early voting was just days away. He argued the Supreme Court’s ruling essentially meant the state “has no map” that it can vote on.
“It’s not my fault,” Landry said of the hurried timeline to redistrict. “If anybody has a grievance, take it to the United States Supreme Court.”
State lawmakers are racing to come up with a new map before the legislative session ends on June 1. Republicans, who control supermajorities in both the House and Senate, are planning to draw a map that eliminates one or even both majority-Black districts, which favor Democrats.
That has drawn fierce pushback from Black elected leaders and community advocates, who say state leaders are aiming to erase hard-earned progress that ensures African-Americans, who make up roughly a third of the state’s population, are represented in Congress.
Landry gave no sign as to what kind of voting map he prefers, saying it was up to the Legislature to decide. But he did say “I don’t believe we have to go and draw a district that guarantees us a minority district.”
The push to redistrict comes as President Donald Trump pushes for Republican-controlled states to redraw their lines to help the GOP maintain control of the House of representatives.
Landry said in the interview the president “has no role” and is “irrelevant” in Louisiana’s redistricting effort, although he acknowledged that Trump would like to see Republicans keep control of the House.
When Vega directly asked if Trump had contacted him about the maps, Landry replied, “the president has not asked me to redraw the maps.”
