US Supreme Court Ruling Shakes Up Congressional Redistricting

A US Supreme Court ruling curbing protections for minority voters has reignited the political battle over electoral maps, with Republicans and Democrats racing to redraw districts in ways that could shape control of Congress for years to come. The high court's decision on Wednesday makes it far harder to challenge electoral maps that dilute minority voting power -- weakening a key protection of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, a historic attempt to redress the legacy of racism. It immediately emboldened Republicans across the South to push for new district lines that could tilt the balance of power in their favor, although analysts say its impact on November's midterm elections is likely to be limited. Primaries -- the internal elections that parties use to choose their candidates -- are already underway or looming in many states, and with legal challenges all but certain, there is little time to implement sweeping changes before voters head to the polls.