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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWith the VRA gutted, the GOP could target over a dozen Black and Latino House districts
https://www.the-downballot.com/p/with-the-vra-gutted-the-gop-could
On Wednesday morning, the Supreme Court issued its long-awaited decision in Louisiana v. Callais. As many had feared, the decision all but eviscerated the most important remaining pillar of the Voting Rights Act.
As a direct consequence, Republicans in eight states have the chance to gerrymander more than a dozen congressional districts that were drawn to prevent discrimination against minoritiesall of which are held by Democrats.
Below, we identify the districts that are most at-risk, and why.
The demise of Section 2 of the VRA, which prohibited states from unlawfully splitting members of racial and language minority groups between electoral districts as a way of diluting their voting power, will have a profoundly adverse impact on voting rights and will make American democracy even less representative than it already is.
And its effects will be felt far beyond Congress. Maps for state legislatures, county boards, city councils, and countless other governmental bodies have, since the VRAs passage in 1965, all been required to comply with the Act. They, too, risk getting eviscerated in the coming years.
The VRA ruling overturns 1 of Louisiana's 2 Black seatsânow the GOP could target both for 2026.
— Stephen Wolf (@stephenwolf.bsky.social) 2026-04-29T15:00:34.947Z
Florida's GOP now has a green light to pass a new map today dismantling the Latino 9th District.
Texas' GOP already targeted 4 Latino seats with their mid-decade gerrymander.
2028 could bring far worse
By 2028, the GOP could eliminate more Black Dem VRA seats in:
— Stephen Wolf (@stephenwolf.bsky.social) 2026-04-29T15:00:34.948Z
Alabama: 2
Georgia: 2
Mississippi: 1
South Carolina: 1
Tennesse: 1
Texas could pass *another* map to weaken several Latino seats they targeted in 2026 if Dems manage to still win them.
Some of these states may even try to act this year
Gutting the VRA puts enormous pressure on Dems to redraw House maps wherever they can.
— Stephen Wolf (@stephenwolf.bsky.social) 2026-04-29T15:05:41.729Z
Dems may be able to redraw maps by 2028 in 9 states targeting 19 seats currently held by the GOP. I'll share example maps below.
Longer-term, a future Dem Congress & president MUST ban gerrymandering nationwide
SSJVegeta
(2,992 posts)In It to Win It
(12,730 posts)SSJVegeta
(2,992 posts)At least based on recent special elections in state legislatures in deep red districts that flipped blue.
DetroitLegalBeagle
(2,522 posts)We saw success in them prior to the 24 election and we all see how that went.
Fiendish Thingy
(23,826 posts)2024 Trump +20 districts swinging 15-30 points towards Dems- that is unprecedented AFAIK.
Nothing can stop the Blue Tsunami.
Its going to be a bloodbath.
Response to Fiendish Thingy (Reply #8)
SSJVegeta This message was self-deleted by its author.
Fiendish Thingy
(23,826 posts)The Trump-induced, republican-enabled widespread suffering is going to create a lot new Dem voters.
B.See
(8,718 posts)posting and waring about Republican attacks on voting rights and what their end game was, for a decade now, even long before coming to DU. Only wish I had a dime for everytime someone showed up to say what couldn't/ wasn't going to happen, won't make any difference, etc. etc.
Fiendish Thingy
(23,826 posts)And gerrymandering wont affect senate or presidential elections.
If enough courageous dems are elected in 2026 and 2028, and they kill the filibuster and expand the court, then a new VRA can be passed that wont be overturned.