BATON ROUGE, La. - Republican senators in Louisiana moved forward Wednesday with a proposal to remove one of the state's two majority-Black congressional districts ahead of the November midterm elections. At the same time, Georgia's governor revealed plans to summon lawmakers for a special session to redraw legislative maps targeting the 2028 elections.

These moves highlight the broad impact of a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that invalidated Louisiana's congressional map as an unlawful racial gerrymander, undermining key safeguards in the federal Voting Rights Act. The ruling has spurred Republican-controlled states to challenge districts with significant minority populations that typically send Democrats to Congress.

Following the court's decision, Tennessee and Alabama have already enacted revised House maps that could deliver extra seats to Republicans in the upcoming elections, where the narrowly split House hangs in the balance. A comparable push stalled in the South Carolina Senate on Tuesday, though it might still revive.

These attempts to reshape minority-heavy districts mark the newest chapter in a national redistricting saga spanning 10 months, touching roughly one-third of the states. Momentum built last year when President Donald Trump pressed Texas Republicans to redraw House lines to capture more seats in the midterms. California Democrats countered with their own adjustments, and several GOP-led states have followed suit since.

Republicans anticipate netting up to 15 seats from fresh House maps in Texas, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Florida, Tennessee, and Alabama. Democrats expect to pick up six from changes in California and Utah. Last week, the Virginia Supreme Court rejected a plan that might have added four favorable seats for Democrats.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, scheduled a special session on redistricting starting June 17, right after runoffs finalize party nominees for November. Kemp emphasized he wants no alterations to Georgia's districts for this year's contests, noting that some primary ballots are already out following Tuesday's initial round.

Kemp's announcement stands as the first post-Supreme Court ruling to zero in on 2028 elections. Additional states, including Democrat-led ones like New York already eyeing legislative redraws for the next presidential cycle, may join in.

By acting promptly, Georgia Republicans aim to sidestep risks from a potential Democratic gubernatorial win in November, which could block new maps if delayed until next year's regular session.

Five of Georgia's 14 House members are Black Democrats. Republicans might target U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop's southwestern district most readily. They could also aim at one or more of the four Democrats covering Atlanta suburbs, but over-dispersing Democratic voters risks turning GOP seats vulnerable.

Kemp's call covers not just U.S. House lines but also state Senate and House boundaries. A prior court mandated redraws for some House and Senate districts to boost Black voters' ability to elect preferred candidates, scrapping a post-2020 Census map from the GOP legislature. Republicans now have options to restore that map or pursue bolder changes, particularly in the 180-seat House where their edge has narrowed to 99 seats.

Democratic U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock vowed Wednesday to "fight this with everything I have."

"There is an extreme movement in this country that will stop at nothing to hold on to power, even if it means stripping representation away from millions," Warnock stated in an online message.

The Louisiana Senate may vote Thursday on the House map endorsed by its redistricting panel.

The proposal retains a majority-Black district anchored in New Orleans, held by Democratic U.S. Rep. Troy Carter, incorporating part of Baton Rouge. It overhauls the 6th District, now held by Democratic U.S. Rep. Cleo Fields, which stretches northwest from Baton Rouge to Shreveport for a second Black-majority seat. The revised version would center on mostly white areas south of Baton Rouge.

Fields, who lives in Baton Rouge, plans to wait for final maps before deciding on reelection but ruled out a primary against Carter.

"I've said from day one, I have no interest in running against Troy Carter. Period," Fields told The Associated Press. "The real issue is not whether I serve another second in Congress. The real issue is whether or not a person like me will have the opportunity to serve in Congress."

State Sen. Jay Morris, the Republican behind the updated map, noted it closely mirrors the 2022 version that elected five Republicans and one Democrat.

A federal judge invalidated that 2022 map for breaching the Voting Rights Act. In 2023, the Supreme Court required Alabama to draw a second predominantly Black House district.

Responding to the Alabama case, Louisiana's Legislature approved a new map with a second majority-Black district for 2024 elections. Legal challenges followed, culminating in last month's Supreme Court ruling that the map over-relied on race. The court also reversed a mandate for Alabama to use a map with two Black-majority districts.

Republican Gov. Jeff Landry delayed Louisiana's House primaries, originally set for Saturday, to July 15 or another legislative-chosen date to accommodate new districts.

Republican Gov. Tate Reeves of Mississippi canceled next week's special session on redrawing Supreme Court districts Wednesday. He anticipates action on congressional, legislative, and court districts before 2027 elections.

In a social media update, Reeves indicated no urgent need for Supreme Court redraws now.

A federal judge had ordered those changes, finding the map diluted Black voters' influence under the Voting Rights Act. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed that this week, aligning with the Louisiana Supreme Court outcome. The matter heads back to district court.

Mississippi's 2026 congressional primaries are done. Any pre-2028 GOP redistricting would likely focus on U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, the sole Democrat among four House members.

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Amy reported from Atlanta, Bates from Jackson, Mississippi, and Lieb from Jefferson City, Missouri.