Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., is steering six figures from his political operation toward defending Black representation in the South, as a wave of Republican-led redistricting threatens Democratic seats ahead of the midterms.

The money, first reported by MS NOW, will go to Black lawmakers targeted by new GOP maps, Southern state Democratic parties and allied groups, according to an aide.

Congressional redistricting could play a major role in influencing the outcome of this fall’s midterms at a time when Democrats are looking to win back power in Congress for the final two years of President Donald Trump’s term. 

Republicans, with Trump’s urging, have worked this cycle to redraw a series of Democratic held seats to make them more favorable to the GOP and cushion their margin of control in the House. That drive started in Texas, and eventually flowed down to other states like North Carolina and Missouri. Democrats answered in kind by overhauling maps in California to try and offset the changes. 

Political calculations became more complicated earlier this spring, when the U.S. Supreme Court issued a major ruling that the national Republican party hailed as a win for “anyone who opposes racial gerrymandering,” and which cleared the way for several GOP-led states to break apart Democratic districts with large minority populations. It amounts to a potentially decisive break for Republicans as they try to hold their narrow House majority. 

“The Supreme Court makes rulings, but the American people can make movements, and the midterms must now be a movement election to defend Black representation and stand up for the principles of our democracy,” Booker said in a statement. 

According to the aide, the help from Booker’s orbit is going towards the state Democratic parties for seven states (Alabama, Louisiana, Florida, Missouri, Mississippi, South Carolina and Tennessee), the House Democrats’ campaign arm and other outside groups, as well incumbents affected by redistricting this cycle, including from North Carolina, Missouri, Alabama and Louisiana. 

“The fight for fair representation and democratic participation runs right through the Deep South,”  South Carolina Democratic Party Chair Christale Spain said in a statement. 

Booker’s move comes as Democrats continue to lack a clear national leader atop the party. Since running for president during the 2020 primary cycle, the New Jersey senator has attempted to maintain a major presence in the party, drawing on goodwill from activists and influential voters during his presidential run. 

With the 2028 nomination expected to be wide open, Booker is seen as a potential contender. One of only five sitting Black senators, Booker has been outspoken over his concerns about the impact of the Supreme Court’s ruling — an issue that could help define the party in the Trump era. 

“Building this movement and winning these elections will require us to speak out, to organize and it will require resources, which is why I am proud to support these candidates and organizations on the frontlines of one of the most important fights of our time,” Booker said in his statement. 

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