Mississippi

Attorneys argue over whether Mississippi legislative maps dilute Black voting power

Published

3 months ago

February 26, 2024

Press Room

Attorneys argue over whether Mississippi legislative maps dilute Black voting power

Emily Wagster Pettus
| Associated Press

JACKSON, Miss. — Mississippi legislators diluted the power of Black voters by drawing too few majority-Black state House and Senate districts after the most recent Census, an attorney representing the NAACP and several residents told three federal judges Monday.

But during opening arguments in a trial of the redistricting case, an attorney representing state officials told the judges that race was not a predominant factor in how legislators drew the state’s 52 Senate districts and 122 House districts in 2022.

Legislative and congressional districts are updated after each Census to reflect population changes from the previous decade. Mississippi’s new legislative districts were used when all of the state House and Senate seats were on the ballot in 2023.

The lawsuit, which was filed in late 2022, says legislators could have drawn four additional majority-Black districts in the Senate and three additional ones in the House.

“This case is ultimately about Black Mississippians not having an equal opportunity to participate in the political process,” said Jennifer Nwachukwu of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, one of the attorneys for the plaintiffs.

Tommie Cardin, one of the attorneys for state officials, said Mississippi cannot ignore its history of racial division, but: “The days of voter suppression and intimidation are, thankfully, behind us.”

Cardin said voter behavior in Mississippi now is driven by party affiliation, not race.

Three judges are hearing the case without a jury. The trial is expected to last about two weeks, though it’s not clear when the judges might rule.

Mississippi’s population is about 59% white and 38% Black, according to the Census Bureau.

In the redistricting plan adopted in 2022, 15 of the 52 Senate districts and 42 of the 122 House districts are majority-Black. Those make up 29% of the Senate districts and 34% of the House districts.

Historical voting patterns in Mississippi show districts with higher populations of white residents tend to lean toward Republicans and districts with higher populations of Black residents tend to lean toward Democrats.

The lawsuit does not challenge Mississippi’s four U.S. House districts. Although legislators adjusted those district lines to reflect population changes, three of those districts remained majority-white and one remained majority-Black.

Lawsuits in several states have challenged the composition of congressional or state legislative districts drawn after the 2020 Census.

Louisiana legislators, for example, redrew the state’s six U.S. House districts in January to create two majority-Black districts rather than one, after a federal judge ruled that the state’s previous plan diluted the voting power of Black residents who make up about one-third of the state’s population. Some non-Black residents filed a lawsuit to challenge the new plan.

And, a federal judge ruled in early February that the Louisiana legislators diluted Black voting strength with the state House and Senate districts they redrew in 2022.

In December, a federal judge accepted new Georgia congressional and legislative districts that protect Republican partisan advantages. The judge said the creation of new majority-Black districts solved the illegal minority vote dilution that led him to order maps to be redrawn.

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Mississippi

Your Mississippi forecast for Monday, June 3 – SuperTalk Mississippi

Published

4 hours ago

June 3, 2024

Press Room

Your Mississippi forecast for Monday, June 3 – SuperTalk Mississippi

Photo courtesy of Visit Natchez

Northern Mississippi

Mostly cloudy today with showers and thunderstorms, some could be severe in the afternoon. Highs will be in the mid to upper 80s. Tonight will also be mostly cloudy with showers and thunderstorms, some possibly severe. Lows will be near 70.

Central Mississippi

Patchy fog this morning. Today will be mostly cloudy with showers and thunderstorms and highs in the upper 80s. The highest heat index readings will be between 100 and 102 this afternoon. Tonight will be mostly cloudy with more showers and thunderstorms and lows in the lower 70s.

Southern Mississippi

Patchy fog this morning. Today will be partly sunny with showers and thunderstorms, some could be severe this afternoon. Highs will be in the upper 80s with the highest heat index readings from 100 to 103. More showers and thunderstorms are on the way tonight, and some of those could be severe. Lows will be in the lower 70s.

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Severe storms capable of producing damaging wind gusts and hail up to quarter size are possible mainly this afternoon and evening, especially along and west of I-55.

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Mississippi

UVA baseball wins Charlottesville Regional, beats Mississippi State 9-2

Published

11 hours ago

June 3, 2024

Press Room

UVA baseball wins Charlottesville Regional, beats Mississippi State 9-2

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) – The UVA baseball team got a fantastic pitching performance from starter Jay Woolfolk leading the ‘Hoos to a 9-2 win over Mississippi State Sunday night at Disharoon Park and winning the Charlottesville Regional.

Woolfolk gave up an early 2-run home run but then settled in, pitching a career-high eight innings and striking out a career-high seven batters. He only gave up two earned runs on the homer and only walked one batter.

Woolfolk was named the Charlottesville Regional Most Outstanding Player.

“The outing that he had was one of the best outings that we’ve ever had in my 21 years at Virginia in such a pivotal game,” said UVa coach Brian O’Connor. “He was phenominal. When his team counted on him and he needed to step up, he pitched the game best game he’s pitched in our uniform in three years.”

“I know this season may not have been the best that I wanted it to,” says Woolfolk. “But when you have teammates like these guys and coaches like Oak who believe in you and keep throwing you out in those type of situations, you never lose confidence in yourself no matter what.”

“Seeing his resilience throughout the season has been incredible” says Griff O’Ferrall about Woolfolk. “He’s done a really good job of turning the page from appearance to appearance and that’s why he was such a perfect guy for this situation, it was a clean slate.”

Virginia advances to a Super Regional for the ninth time in the last 15 years. It is not official yet, but Virginia will host a Super Regional. That’s because No. 5 overall seed, Arkansas, was upset and eliminated in the Fayetteville Regional. Kansas State won the Fayetteville Regional and will now play Virginia at Disharoon Park next weekend.

Here are some other postgame notes from a UVA baseball media release:

HOW IT HAPPENED

• For the third-straight day, the Cavaliers were the first to put a run on the scoreboard. Ford drove in his first run of the regional with an RBI single that scored Griff O’Ferrall who led the game off with a double.

• The initial lead for the Cavaliers – the designated visiting team – was short-lived as MSU’s Bryce Jordan blasted a two-run homer in the bottom half of the first, his 20th of the year and third of the regional.

• The Cavaliers regained the lead in the top of the third after Henry Ford’s infield single, followed by an MSU throwing error, allowed O’Ferrall, who was on second, to round third and touch home safely to tie the game, 2-2. On the following at bat, Jacob Ference’s left field single brought home Bobby Whalen, which put the Hoos ahead to stay.

• In the ninth, Harrison Didawick and Henry Godbout both walked to bring up Anderson, whose infield single loaded the bases. Then, Hanson went first-pitch swinging and roped a shot to left to score Godbout and Didawick.

• UVA extend its lead when O’Ferrall laid down a bunt and MSU relief pitch Tyler Davis’ throw to first sailed past the MSU first baseman to bring home two more runs.

• Later in the ninth, the Hoos tacked on two more runs on two separate wild pitches, which allowed O’Ferrall and Whalen to touch home plate, respectively.

• Woolfolk received a standing ovation from the Disharoon Park crowd in the bottom of the ninth. Righty Chase Hungate entered in relief and retired two of the next three batters, one of which on a 5-4 double play, to clinch the Charlottesville Regional.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

• The Cavaliers improve to 3-0 against SEC teams this season with two wins against Mississippi State and one against Auburn on Feb. 25.

• Ethan Anderson has reached base in 30-straight games with his single seventh inning.

• The start on the mound for Woolfolk was his first since March 17. His previous career-high in innings pitched was 6.0 vs. UMass on 3/3/24 and his previous career-best for strikeouts was six at Miami on March 10)

• O’Ferrall scored three runs in the contest and moved into second place, passing Bill Narleski (1984-87) for second place on UVA’s career runs scored list.

UP NEXT

In the best-of-three Super Regional round, Virginia will be square off against Kansas State (35-24), the winner of the Fayetteville Regional, next weekend. Start times and TV designations will post to VirginiaSports.com announced by the NCAA on Tuesday (June 2).

All-Tournament Team

C – Jacob Ference, Virginia

1B – Hunter Hines, Mississippi State

2B – Henry Godbout, Virginia

3B – Eric Becker, Virginia

SS – David Mershon, Mississippi State

OF – Jackson Tucker, St. John’s

OF – Dakota Jordan, Mississippi State

OF – Bryce Chance, Mississippi State

DH – Paul Orbon, St. John’s

P – Khal Stephan, Mississippi State

P – Jay Woolfolk, Virginia

P – Matt Augustin, Virginia

MOP – Jay Woolfolk or Eric Becker

*A tie in the voting at pitcher resulted in a 12-man All-Tournament Team

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Mississippi

Mississippi State baseball moves to NCAA Regional Final

Published

18 hours ago

June 2, 2024

Press Room

Mississippi State baseball moves to NCAA Regional Final

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WLBT) – Sunday morning, Mississippi State baseball bounced back to keep their NCAA tournament dreams alive.

The Bulldogs took on #3-seeded St. John’s in an elimination game, and MSU’s offense stepped up and showed out. At the top of the third inning, Amani Larry got things going for the Bulldogs with a hit into right field that would bring home Aaron Downs to put Mississippi State on the board first.

Once Larry opened the “RBI door”, the rest of the Bulldogs busted it down. MSU went on to finish the game with 12 RBIs and a season-high of 19 hits.

MRA grad, Bryce Chance was on that RBI list and went 3 for 5 in the box. Then, Jackson Academy grad, Dakota Jordan led the offense and was perfect at the plate going 5 for 5. He also rounded off the top of the ninth inning with a three-run home run that helped take the Bulldogs to a 13-5 win over the St. John’s Red Storm.

Mississippi State will now face the host and #1-seed Virginia on Sunday at 5 pm. The Bulldogs will need to win to force a decisive game on Monday.

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