Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has been imploring his colleagues for decades to gut a crucial part of the iconic Voting Rights Act that prohibits practices denying Blacks, Hispanics and other racial minorities an equal right to vote.
Rampant rigging has blocked fair representation, especially in the South. Nearly all population growth over the past decade took place in the South and Southwest, and most of that came from communities of color, who are being shut out of power.
The loss of Rep. Jamaal Bowman to AIPAC-backed challenger George Latimer is being played as a defeat for “the left” and a sign of the Democratic Party and its voters moving to the center. Sorry, but the reality is rather more complicated.
Facing the possibility of an unsafe district, South Carolina’s most powerful Democrat sent his aide to consult with the GOP on a redistricting plan that diluted Black voting strength and harmed his party’s chances of gaining seats in Congress.
While the timing of the release raises questions, we must not forget to ask: Who benefits? Why was it made? Who released the audio? Who made it? What was their goal? Do we really want to heal?
Our arcane districting process divides and polarizes us and has effectively extinguished competitive elections for most Americans. We urge Congress to adopt inclusive, multi-member districts with proportional representation.
Michael Li and Chris Leaverton
Brennan Center for Justice
Partisan gerrymandering has continued to skew maps in favor of Republicans, but both parties still have viable paths to win control of the House in future elections.
This map will significantly shake up Florida’s congressional delegation, as it virtually guarantees that Democrats will lose three of their House seats in Florida
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