Democrats vow to fight back after Supreme Court’s Voting Rights Act ruling

Congressional Democrats vowed Wednesday to fight the Supreme Court’s decision to throw out Louisiana’s voting map with the limited powers of the House and Senate minorities.

“Today’s decision by this unjust Supreme Court majority is aimed at undermining the Voting Rights Act and undermining the ability of communities of color across the country to choose their own candidates,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-Den., said Wednesday at a Congressional Black Caucus press conference. “But we’re not here to retreat, we’re here to fight back.”

The court’s 6-3 decision weakens a key provision of the Voting Rights Act, the landmark 1965 civil rights law that prohibits discrimination in voting, and limits the consideration of race in the drawing of congressional maps. The bill would destroy majority-black districts in Louisiana and could prompt the elimination of majority-black districts represented by Democrats in other parts of the country.

Republicans welcomed the ruling.

“Today’s decision is a victory for the Constitution and the principle that all Americans are equal under the law. The Supreme Court has made clear that our elections should be decided by voters, not orchestrated by unconstitutional mandates,” said Rep. Richard Hudson (R-North Carolina), chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, in a statement.

“For too long, activists have manipulated the redistricting process to achieve political outcomes, dividing rather than uniting Americans. This ruling restores fairness, strengthens faith in elections, and ensures that all voters are treated equally under the law,” Hudson continued.

The decision could trigger additional redistricting efforts across the country ahead of November’s midterm elections, potentially shaking the balance of the House.

CBC Chairwoman Yvette Clark (DN.Y) said: “We are not powerless and we are not going backwards. The Congressional Black Caucus stands ready to take all steps necessary to protect Black voters in this country.”

But without power in either chamber, Democrats are limited in what they can do.

Clark and other members of his caucus called for immediate passage of the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, a proposal that modernizes the Voting Rights Act and strengthens legal protections against discriminatory voting practices and policies. He also said opponents of the ruling would pursue reforms to the Supreme Court, including term limits for judges.

It is doubtful that Democrats will be able to force these proposals through the House, at least until after the midterm elections.

Senate Democrats on Wednesday launched a special committee across the street from the U.S. Capitol to counter what they say are Republican attempts to overturn American elections. The task force, which includes former Attorney General Eric Holder and Democratic election lawyer Marc Elias, will investigate threats to the election and work on mitigation strategies.

Democrats have repeatedly warned that President Donald Trump and his Republican allies are trying to pre-emptively change the outcome of November’s election, which is expected to be difficult for Republicans in Congress.

President Trump has called for “nationalizing” elections, signed an executive order restricting mail-in voting, and is pushing legislation that would introduce voter identification requirements and ban noncitizens from voting, which Democrats and voting rights groups say could disenfranchise millions of Americans.

“Trump and the Republican Party are testing the extent to which they can undermine free and fair elections because they cannot win on a level playing field,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said in a statement announcing the task force, which was scheduled to convene its first meeting Wednesday. “The right to vote is the foundation of our democracy, and now that foundation is being attacked.”