The latest from Fair Fight Action
SCOTUS Chose to Drag America Backward Towards Jim Crow
Atlanta – Fair Fight Action and Black Voters Matter Fund today condemned the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Louisiana v. Callais, ripping away a core American freedom – the right to a fair representation and an equal vote in elections. By dismantling the Voting Rights Act’s key safeguard against racially discriminatory redistricting, the Court’s far‑right majority has given politicians a green light to keep themselves in power by redrawing voting maps instead of winning more votes.
Key Decision Takeaway: This ruling leaves Section 2 of the VRA in place, but reduces it to a shell of itself. Now, proving a Section 2 violation requires proving intent – a significant raising of the legal bar in order to seek justice. Because Section 2 wasn’t struck down, people challenging discriminatory maps can still sue under it, but in the South it will likely be near-impossible to prove. Incredibly, this ruling ignores Congress’ intent and language when they amended the Voting Rights Act in 1982 with bipartisan support and it was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan.
This decision does not stand alone. In the last few months, the president has called for Republicans to “nationalize” or “take over” elections, state legislatures have advanced a slew of restrictive voting bills, and members of Congress are pushing for new voter suppression proposals like the SAVE America Act, which already passed the U.S. House. Here in Georgia, those threats are not theoretical. Members of the Georgia State Election Board are openly weighing a takeover of Fulton County’s elections, and voters are still navigating the barriers imposed by SB 202, a discriminatory and restrictive anti-voter law passed after the 2020 election. The overarching goal of all these actions is clear: shift power away from voters and into the hands of those in power.
Today’s ruling empowers Republican-controlled legislatures in the South to try to weaken Black voting power by redrawing maps to create 19 more safe, GOP U.S. House seats and eliminate 191 state legislative seats, the vast majority held by Black elected officials.
The bipartisan VRA was passed in 1965 because, for generations, Black Americans were blocked from voting or having any real say in how they were governed – it exists so everyonecan have an equal voice in choosing their leaders. This decision could have devastating consequences for Black and Brown Americans in the South should southern leaders choose to draw people of color out of representative politics in a region where about 60% of Black Americans reside. Instead of voters choosing their representatives, politicians will choose their voters, potentially locking in power for a generation and with much more limited legal ways to fight back.
In a joint statement, Fair Fight Action CEO Lauren Groh-Wargo and Black Voters Matter Fund Co-Founder Cliff Albright said:
“The far‑right high Court has chosen to drag America backward towards Jim Crow, dismantling one of the most important protections that kept politicians from rigging voting maps for their own power and silencing voters of color in our diverse country. This decision is not an accident – it’s the endgame of a decades‑long strategy by Republican politicians and billionaire donors to dismantle our voting rights, block our votes and lock the people out of power, especially across the South where most Black Americans live.
“Our communities have never won anything by giving up, so we intend to use all of our tools to fight back. We have more power together – and when we come together to vote, to advocate and organize, we can still elect leaders who work for strong public schools, good jobs, and affordable healthcare and housing.
“We refuse to accept a future where politicians choose their voters instead of voters choosing them. We are organizing and pushing state and federal lawmakers to protect fair representation and to reform the extremist court. Mass resistance is needed now and mass turnout is critical in November’s midterm elections. Discriminatory maps will be challenged – and we will keep fighting until every American has an equal voice in our democracy. Extremist politicians, greedy billionaires, and corrupt Supreme Court justices have not won the future. We know: If your vote didn’t matter – they wouldn’t be working so hard to take it away.”
Report Findings: Fair Fight Action and Black Voters Matter Fund released two reports that lay out the stakes of Louisiana v. Callais – explaining the case’s background, detailing how the ruling could reshape southern voting maps, and exposing the corruption of the far-right Court driving this decision. The analyses show how the ruling could erase hard‑won gains for minority representation and lock in one‑party rule with possibly creating 19 new, safe GOP U.S. House seats and eliminating 191 largely Black-majority state legislative seats across the region:
Real‑Life Consequences: With fewer lawmakers of color in government, it will be harder to advance policies that many communities desperately need. From issues like Medicaid expansion and fair school funding to gun safety, criminal justice reform, reproductive freedom, and affordable housing – progress on critical policies could be blocked for generations. At the same time, an unaccountable majority means it’s easier for politicians to cut services, close hospitals, and defund neighborhood schools without fear of being voted out.
GOP Preparations and Risks: Florida is currently engaged in a special legislative session that is opposed by Republican members of the state’s Congressional delegation. The special session was called by Gov. Ron DeSantis, who cited the coming Callais decision, to redraw the congressional maps. The Florida House just passed DeSantis’ map and it could be voted on by the Florida Senate today. Republicans have been preparing to act when Section 2 is struck down – seeming to count on this ruling. Kentucky, Louisiana, and South Carolina GOP officials have discussed redrawing maps. But, the strategy is starting to show signs of blowback. Recent resistance from Indiana Senate Republicans, who voted down Donald Trump’s demanded rigged map despite heavy pressure, shows backlash in the GOP is surfacing. In California, voters approved a ballot amendment to counter GOP map-rigging, proving that voters understand the stakes and support aggressive pro‑democracy reforms.
The Path Forward: The report makes clear there is still a path forward – blue‑state leaders can redraw maps to respond. State legislators can fight against discriminatory and unfair voting maps and file pro-voting rights bills. Communities can organize, raise awareness, and pressure lawmakers to reject discriminatory maps. Fair Fight Action and Black Voters Matter Fund called on:
###
