SUPREME COURT NULLIFIES 4 DISTRICTS, CITING EMPHASIS ON RACE.(MAIN)

Byline: Boston Globe

WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court, issuing its sternest opposition yet to racially based congressional districts, Thursday ruled that Texas and North Carolina acted illegally by considering race as a prominent factor in creating districts with black and Hispanic majorities.

In 5-4 decisions that evoked disappointment from President Clinton and anger from some civil rights advocates, the court's conservative majority underscored two of its previous rulings that found ``racial gerrymandering'' had violated equal protection to all voters.

The slim majority, in an opinion with sweeping implications for future reapportionments …