In breaking news, Republican Rep. Garret Graves of Louisiana has announced that he will not seek reelection, following the redrawing of congressional districts that made his seat significantly Democratic. Graves stated, “Representing South Louisiana and serving in the United States Congress has been an incredible honor,” but added that “running for Congress this year does not make sense.”
The US Supreme Court recently allowed the state of Louisiana to use the new congressional map for this year’s elections, ending a long legal battle. The previous map was thrown out by a federal judge for potentially violating the Voting Rights Act, as Louisiana has only one Black lawmaker in its six-member US House delegation despite a third of the population being Black.
Under the new lines drawn by the GOP-controlled state Legislature, Grave’s 6th Congressional District became Louisiana’s second Black-majority district, a district that Joe Biden would have carried by 20 points in 2020. This shift in dynamics has dealt a blow to House Republicans who are seeking to defend their majority.
There were speculations about Graves challenging a fellow Republican incumbent in a neighboring district, but House Speaker Mike Johnson endorsed all Republican incumbents in Louisiana’s delegation. Graves stated that running for a different seat was not an option as it would cause “actual permanent damage to Louisiana’s great representation in Congress.”
Recent opposition from within his own party and in Washington, coupled with the state’s Republican governor supporting the new map, may have influenced Graves’ decision. Graves, a close ally of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, has been described as “the best of what public service can and should be” by McCarthy in response to the announcement.
Graves was elected to Congress in 2014 and succeeded fellow Republican Bill Cassidy. The redrawn district now leans Democratic, with Democratic state Sen. Cleo Fields seen as the front-runner in the upcoming November jungle primary. CNN’s Fredreka Schouten, Andrew Menezes, and Renée Rigdon contributed to this report.