All eyes are on the Supreme Court as a critical ruling against the Voting Rights Act could put the Republican Party in power for years to come, in addition to giving them a leg up in their redistricting plans, Politico reports.
The case in question is Louisiana v. Callais, where two voting rights groups — Fair Fight Action and Black Voters Matter Fund — are sounding the alarm on major violations of the Voting Rights Act (VRA). The high court is scheduled to hear arguments on eliminating Section 2 of the legislation, a provision prohibiting racial gerrymandering when it downplays minority voting power. If the provision is terminated, Republicans would have the power to redraw up to 19 House seats to favor their party, a nightmare scenario for the Democratic Party and its voters.
Without the provision, roughly 30% of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) and 11% of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus could be redistricted out of their seats, according to data from the voting rights groups. While the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the case, it is unlikely that a ruling will come before the 2026 midterm elections. Black Voters Matter Fund co-founder LaTosha Brown highlights how it’s not out of the question. The move could “clear the path for a one-party system where power serves the powerful and silences the people,” Brown said in a statement.
Both groups found that a total of 27 Democratic seats would be up for grabs if the ruling comes before the midterms.
Louisiana v. Callais came after the state redrew its lines following the 2020 census, so only one of its six districts gave Black voters an opportunity to elect candidates of their choice. Since the Black demographic made up roughly 35% of Louisiana’s population, Black voters sued, arguing that under Section 2 of VRA, the state was required to create a second majority-Black district.
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