Georgia Republicans move to cut losses as they propose majority-Black districts in special session

Georgia state Rep. Mack Jackson, D-Sandersville, looks at a map of proposed state House districts before a House hearing, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023, at the Georgia Capitol in Atlanta. State lawmakers were ordered to redraw Georgia's legislative and congressional districts after a federal judge ruled some illegally diluted Black voting strength. (Jeff Amy/AP Photo)

Georgia lawmakers opened a special session Wednesday as majority Republicans moved to minimize their losses while also trying to increase the number of Black-majority districts to comply with a federal court order.

It’s one in a series of redistricting sessions across the South after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the 1964 Voting Rights Act, clearing the way for Black voters to win changes from courts.

Georgia House Republicans released a map on Tuesday that would likely cost them only two seats from their current 102-78 majority while creating five more majority-Black districts that Democrats would likely win. That’s because the map would also pair three sets of Democratic incumbents, meaning Democrats would lose three of those members after 2024 elections