Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones said Wednesday’s Supreme Court decision striking down Louisiana’s second majority-Black congressional district reinforces that states must draw electoral maps without considering race, a move he claims will prompt similar actions in Republican-led states including Georgia.
“I think the court got it right,” Jones stated Thursday. “The Constitution requires equal treatment regardless of race.”
In a 6-3 decision, the court ruled that congressional districts cannot be drawn primarily based on race. Supporters of the ruling described it as a shift away from race-based redistricting mandates.
Jones said the decision could prompt action in other Republican-led states, including Georgia: “I think there’s some other red states, including Georgia, that probably should be looking at redrawing districts.” He added that if lawmakers convened a special session or returned to session, they could draw “two more solidly Republican districts.”
Jones noted it remains unclear whether lawmakers would take up redistricting before the 2026 midterm elections due to ongoing election-related disputes. “We’ve had some issues with our secretary of state on our elections front,” he said. “We have talked about calling a special session to try to fix some of the things that he’s refused to do on some of the paper ballots or QR codes.”
Any such session would likely occur after Georgia’s May 19 primary, Jones explained: “We could be in a special session for one or two reasons this summer, but I think it’ll be past the primary.”
Jones, who is running for governor, highlighted his endorsement from President Donald Trump. He described a “long, good relationship of over 10 years” with the president, noting Trump endorsed him for lieutenant governor four years ago and again for governor.
“I’ll fight for election integrity,” Jones said. “I fought for lowering taxes, regulations, school choice opportunities, as well as public safety.” He added that Trump remains focused on Georgia, where both the gubernatorial race and a U.S. Senate contest are expected to draw national attention: “He’s got Georgia on his mind.”
Turning to the Republican primary, Jones criticized opponent Rick Jackson over allegations of employing illegal immigrants while campaigning on a hardline stance against immigration. “It doesn’t surprise me because everything he’s said throughout his campaign has been misleading or just flat-out lies,” Jones stated.
Jones recounted confronting Jackson during a recent debate: “I just point-blank asked him if he had any illegals currently working for him, and he lied about it.” He added that some workers are now suing Jackson over employment claims, noting one employee worked for Jackson “for over 18 years.”
Jones also criticized Jackson’s political positioning: “He wants to act like he’s like Trump, even though he’s a Liz Cheney donor and supporter. He looks and feels more like Joe Biden when you see him up close and personal.”
