In Louisiana, Garret Graves, an ally of House Minority Leader McCarthy, announces he won't seek reelection, as the redrawn district map boosts the seat's Democratic prospects.
"Hailing from South Louisiana and serving in the U.S. Congress has been a massive privilege," Graves declared in a statement, followed by the admission that running for Congress this year seems illogical.
In a legal wrangle over Louisiana's congressional divisions that stretches out for ages, the U.S. Supreme Court permitted the state to adopt the new outline in this year's elections recently. Previously, a federal judge had invalidated the existing layout, suggesting it possibly infringed upon the Voting Rights Act. Despite Black residents constituting approximately one-third of Louisiana's population, the state features only one Black legislator - the solitary Democrat - among its six-member U.S. House delegation.
Under the fresh lines drafted by the Republican-dominated state Legislature, Graves' 6th Congressional District was reconfigured into Louisiana's second predominantly Black district - one that Joe Biden would've won by 20 points in 2020.
Graves' decision comes as a disappointment to House Republicans, trying to protect their slim majority in the chamber. There were rumors Graves might contest against another Republican incumbent in an adjacent district. However, House Speaker Mike Johnson, a fellow Louisianan, endorsed all Republican incumbents in the state’s delegation last month, including Graves for re-election in his current 6th District seat.
Graves stated emphatically on Friday that vying for a different seat this year wasn’t a feasible option.
“It's clear as day that a bid in any temporary district will inflict long-term damage on Louisiana's remarkable Congressional representation," he asserted, implying potential future legal challenges to the new layout.
Recently, Graves has faced resistance from within his own party, both at home and in Washington. The updated map, making Graves’ seat more Democratic, was supported by Louisiana's Republican governor, Jeff Landry. Graves, meanwhile, backed Landry's rival in the state's gubernatorial primary last year.
Graves was also a close confidant of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who was ousted from his position in October. In the build-up to the landmark vote, Graves lashed out at hardline members of the House GOP conference who were threatening to remove McCarthy during the process of passing temporary funding legislation.
McCarthy reacted to Graves' announcement on Friday via social media, praising the Louisiana Republican as "a dependable ally" and "the epitome of what public service ought to be."
"Whatever the topic, Garret was always the first to throw himself in with unmatched passion, intellect, and a legendary sense of humor," McCarthy added, mentioning that Graves' absence would be a significant loss for the conference and the whole House.
Graves joined Congress in 2014, replacing fellow Republican Bill Cassidy, who vacated the position for a successful Senate run. Under the existing lines, the 6th District, which incorporates parts of the Baton Rouge area, has been a Republican stronghold.
However, the redrawn district now inclines firmly Democratic, stretching from Shreveport in the state's northwest to Baton Rouge. Democratic state Sen. Cleo Fields, who previously served in Congress for two terms in the 1990s, is considered the frontrunner in the district's jungle primary in November.
CNN’s Fredreka Schouten, Andrew Menezes, and Reneé Rigdon contributed to this report.
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In light of the new district map, Graves' 6th Congressional District was transformed into Louisiana's second predominantly Black district, which could have potentially led to legal challenges if he decided to run for a different seat.
Garret Graves' decision not to seek reelection in the 6th District was praised by House Minority Leader McCarthy, who described him as a "dependable ally" and an exemplary public servant.
