Judge upholds Georgia's Republican-drawn voting map

Why it matters: A new Congressional map in Georgia had the potential to upend the balance of power in the U.S. House of Representatives, where Republicans hold a slim majority.

Details: The new map, created earlier this month during a special legislative session, once again shifts the 7th District represented by U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath (D-Ga.) further north, dramatically reducing her chances of getting re-elected next year, Axios' Kristal Dixon reported.

• Hours after the judge's ruling, McBath announced she would run for re-election in the newly created 6th Congressional District if the maps survive an appeal "because too much is at stake to stand down."

The big picture: Judges have ordered Republican-led legislatures in several states, including Alabama and Louisiana, to redraw maps that don't reduce the voting power of Black, Hispanic and Asian Americans, Axios' Eugene Scott reports.

What they're saying: Rahul Garabadu, an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia, told the AJC the upheld maps continue to violate the VRA and "dilute the voting strength of Black voters."

The bottom line: The decision will likely be appealed, but for now the new district lines ensure Republican control of the legislature and Georgia's congressional seats in the 2024 elections, the AJC reports.