Louisiana and Virginia take steps toward redistricting in a growing battle for US House power

By DAVID A. LIEB, SARA CLINE, BRIAN WITTE and OLIVA DIAZ, Associated Press

Republican lawmakers in Louisiana and Democrats in Virginia pressed ahead Wednesday with plans that could allow mid-decade redistricting as part of a growing national battle for partisan advantage in next year’s congressional elections.

Louisiana lawmakers passed legislation pushing back the state’s 2026 primary elections by a month — a move that could give lawmakers extra time to redraw the state’s U.S. House districts if the Supreme Court strikes down the current boundaries.

Meanwhile, Virginia lawmakers were considering a proposed constitutional amendment that, if ultimately approved by voters, would allow lawmakers to temporarily bypass a bipartisan redistricting commission and redraw congressional distri