Hakeem Jeffries ERUPTS After Republicans GAIN House Seats - Total Meltdown in D.C.
JACKSON, Mississippi — April 21, 2026
Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves has announced he will convene the state legislature in a special session to redraw the three judicial districts used for electing justices to the Mississippi Supreme Court.
The session is scheduled to begin 21 calendar days after the U.S. Supreme Court issues its decision in the case of Louisiana v. Callais. That pending ruling is expected to address important questions under the Voting Rights Act of 1965 regarding race-based districting.
Governor Reeves stated that the legislature needs the opportunity to draw new maps once the legal framework is clarified by the nation’s highest court. He noted that the current districts have not been updated since 1987 and that a federal district judge’s order requiring changes has been appealed and stayed pending the Supreme Court’s decision in the Louisiana case.
The governor emphasized that federal law and state constitutional principles require the legislature to have the first opportunity to redraw maps after major legal developments. He expressed hope that the U.S. Supreme Court will reaffirm the principle that citizens should not be classified by race in electoral maps, describing such classifications as “odious to a free people.”
The current structure divides the state into Northern, Central, and Southern judicial districts, with three justices elected from each. A 2025 federal district court ruling found that the Central District, which includes majority-Black areas in the Delta and Jackson regions, dilutes Black voting strength under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The ruling came after a lawsuit filed by the ACLU, the ACLU of Mississippi, the Southern Poverty Law Center, and private attorneys.
The state appealed the decision to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which paused proceedings while awaiting the outcome in Louisiana v. Callais. That case examines whether creating a second majority-Black congressional district in Louisiana to comply with the Voting Rights Act constitutes an unconstitutional racial gerrymander.
Legal observers note that the Mississippi Supreme Court’s eventual ruling on the state’s redistricting amendment could have broader implications for how states handle judicial and congressional maps. The amendment, which narrowly passed a recent referendum, would allow the legislature to redraw congressional districts mid-decade. However, a lower court has blocked certification, citing procedural and constitutional issues, and the state Supreme Court is expected to hear arguments soon.
The developments reflect ongoing national debates over redistricting, the Voting Rights Act, and the balance between legislative authority and judicial oversight. Both parties have engaged in map-drawing efforts in states they control, with significant implications for control of the U.S. House in upcoming elections.
Governor Reeves’ decision to call the special session underscores the state’s intent to address redistricting once the legal parameters are clarified by the U.S. Supreme Court. The outcome could influence not only judicial elections in Mississippi but also the broader conversation on race and representation in electoral maps across the South.
Top Republican Senator Abruptly Resigns — Leaves Town
Washington, D.C. — June 3, 2026
Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) announced Friday that she will not seek reelection next year, opening up a rare open-seat contest in the reliably Republican state.
Lummis announced her decision after the Senate adjourned for the holiday recess. Her departure will bring her tenure in the chamber to a close after one term.
In a statement, she said that following an intense legislative session — particularly in recent weeks — she just didn’t believe she had the stamina to commit to another six-year term.
“Deciding not to run for re-election does represent a change of heart for me, but in the difficult, exhausting session weeks this fall I’ve come to accept that I do not have six more years in me. I am a devout legislator, but I feel like a sprinter in a marathon. The energy required doesn’t match up.”
She continued by expressing gratitude for her partnership with the White House.
“I am honored to have earned the support of President Trump and to have the opportunity to work side by side with him to fight for the people of Wyoming. I look forward to continuing this partnership and throwing all my energy into bringing important legislation to his desk in 2026 and into retaining commonsense Republican control of the U.S. Senate.”
Lummis previously served four terms in the House before stepping away from public office. She later returned to politics to run for the Senate seat formerly held by the late Sen. Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.).
Her decision is expected to have ripple effects in Washington, particularly within the cryptocurrency policy arena, where she has been a prominent advocate. She currently chairs the Senate Banking Subcommittee on Digital Assets.
President Trump highlighted that role when he endorsed her in March, saying she is working closely with him to make America the cryptocurrency Capital of the World.
The announcement makes Lummis the fifth Senate Republican to opt against seeking reelection next year, joining Sens. Joni Ernst (Iowa), Mitch McConnell (Ky.), Thom Tillis (N.C.) and Tommy Tuberville (Ala.).
Her departure also sets the stage for another competitive Republican primary. Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.) is widely viewed as a leading potential contender in the deeply Republican state. The primary is scheduled for mid-August.
Wyoming has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1977.
In related developments on the 2026 Senate map, President Trump endorsed Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa) in September in her bid to succeed Ernst.
Hinson, a former TV news anchor now in her third term representing Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District, highlighted her support for Trump as she launched her Senate campaign.
“I’m running to be President Trump’s top ally in the United States Senate,” she said.
In a Fox News interview, Hinson also declared that she is proud to stand with the president.
Trump praised her strongly on social media.
“I know Ashley well, and she is a WINNER! A Loving Wife and Proud Mother of two sons, Ashley is a wonderful person, has ALWAYS delivered for Iowa, and will continue doing so in the United States Senate.”
He added: “Ashley Hinson will be an outstanding Senator, and has my Complete and Total Endorsement – SHE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN!”
Trump’s backing comes on the heels of endorsements from Senate Majority Leader John Thune and the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the GOP’s Senate campaign arm.
“We need conservative fighters in the Senate — and that’s exactly what we’ll get with Ashley Hinson,” Thune noted, lending his endorsement as well.
NRSC chair Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina noted: “Having traveled Iowa with Ashley, I know she is the fighter the Hawkeye State needs to deliver President Trump’s agenda in 2026 and beyond.”
