Black leaders in the South are grappling with a profound sense of shock following the Supreme Court’s decision to significantly weaken the Voting Rights Act. As the initial surprise fades, a feeling of isolation is taking hold among many.
Lawmakers and activists across the Deep South assert that the Democratic Party has left them to face an existential challenge alone. They feel let down by various facets of the party: presidential hopefuls who focus only on early and swing states, congressional leaders targeting battlegrounds instead of safeguarding Black districts, and years of insufficient funding that has weakened local party structures.
Tennessee state Representative Justin Jones expressed concern, saying, “Party leaders visit swing states like North Carolina and Georgia, but states like Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, and South Carolina are neglected and forgotten, as if it’s inevitable that we’ll remain in these systems of what I call apartheid-type politics.”
This neglect compounds what lawmakers describe as a crisis in Black representation, exacerbated by the Supreme Court’s April decision in Louisiana v. Callais, which targeted the Voting Rights Act.
Black Southern lawmakers are raising alarms about the long-term impact on their congressional delegations and legislatures, while Republican leaders in several Southern states have already indicated plans to redraw district lines before 2028.
Florida state House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell has highlighted a “concerted effort to suppress Black votes” involving the Supreme Court, the White House, and GOP-controlled statehouses—a sentiment echoed by many Black leaders.
Driskell stated, “Republicans in the Legislature and the Supreme Court have said it’s acceptable to reverse civil rights progress, essentially granting Southern states the ability to suppress Black voices.”
Although many Black leaders primarily blame Republicans for the Callais decision and subsequent redistricting efforts, there is also noticeable frustration with congressional Democrats, particularly among younger Black Americans.
Yolanda Renee King, granddaughter of Martin Luther King Jr., criticized the Democrats, stating, “The Democrats allowed this behavior to persist,” referencing their failure to pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act during the Biden administration. “There might have been an opportunity before this MAGA surge. Currently, I’m unsure if we have the infrastructure needed.”
Those who spoke to POLITICO, including Black elected officials and activists, refrained from naming specific party leaders, with Jones’ team suggesting the issue is systemic within a “political system that continually abandons Black voters.”
Chandler Quaile, Jones’ chief of staff, noted, “This crisis of multiracial democracy exceeds any individual’s failure and requires a unified movement to halt the largest assault on Black representation since Reconstruction.”
This issue arises as the party’s key leaders—Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and DNC Chair Ken Martin—face dissatisfaction from different party factions.
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) defended its outreach efforts with Black communities, citing the provision of tools to Southern states, such as training and staffing for infrastructure needs, including a 10-week training program for states lacking a voter protection director. Martin has made visits to cities like Atlanta, Selma, and Memphis this year.
Angelo Fernández Hernández, a DNC spokesperson, stated, “The DNC will employ every available tool to protect voting rights and combat the dilution of Black political power resulting from the detrimental Callais decision.”
Republicans, however, dismissed the Democrats’ portrayal of their redistricting response. White House spokesperson Allison Schuster argued that the Supreme Court ruling ended “the unlawful practice of drawing congressional districts based on race,” heralding it as “a victory for all Americans and our colorblind constitution.”
Black Democrats contend it’s challenging to mount a defense while party leaders debate their offensive strategy. Some advocate for redrawing maps in blue states to favor Democratic candidates, while others prefer legal challenges against new GOP maps.
Some have called for both approaches.
Driskell emphasized the need for strategy, stating, “I don’t need anyone to hold my hand, but I need us to be thoughtful, and that’s what’s missing.”
Like Jones, Driskell did not single out any specific party leader, but added that Black leaders across the South “fully comprehend” the potential impact Callais could have on their communities, and noted that “a national dialogue on this would be beneficial.”
Jeffries’ office did not respond to a request for comment, and a spokesperson for Schumer redirected inquiries to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.
Jessica Knight Henry, deputy executive director for the DSCC, stated that Democrats are addressing Republican-led voter suppression through legal and financial efforts.
“Democrats have confronted these challenges in court and campaigns and will continue to invest strategically in states where Democrats can gain seats and reclaim majorities, enabling us to push legislation like the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act,” Knight Henry remarked.
Despite these efforts, the party’s primary focus over the past year has been to regain control of the House and Senate. The Congressional Black Caucus PAC, representing the Democratic 62-member caucus, has maintained its focus on reclaiming Congress.
Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) told POLITICO in May, following the Callais ruling, “The PAC has always concentrated on electing Democrats in competitive seats to regain the majority. That goal, that focus, has remained unchanged.”
The redistricting battle poses a significant threat to Black representation in Congress and state governments, with CBC leadership projecting that approximately one-third of their members could lose their seats due to these efforts.
According to a POLITICO Poll in May, 45 percent of Democratic voters believe the party should counter Republican efforts by creating their own maps to increase Democratic seats, even if it reduces majority-minority districts.
Black leaders in the states argue that the dual reality of Republicans targeting Southern seats and Democrats appearing willing to sacrifice some seats for more political power intensifies their sense of isolation. They claim that non-Black voters fail to grasp the gravity of the situation.
For these leaders, the stakes are deeply personal. They cite direct familial connections to a time before the Voting Rights Act, when Jim Crow laws were prevalent in many Southern states.
Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones recalled conversations with his father, who integrated a public school at age 7, while Driskell shared her father’s experiences with “colored only” water fountains at public parks as a child.
“Many Black people feel like we’re fighting this battle alone,” Justin Jones said. “We need the broader community, especially our white allies, to recognize that this isn’t just a fight for Black people; it’s a fight for all Americans who believe in multiracial democracy.”
Some state leaders are now collaborating to address potential issues ahead of the midterms this November. Jay Jones mentioned that his office is using “every tool at our disposal” to ensure “free elections,” working with other Democratic attorneys general to develop voter protection strategies.
“We want everyone to participate and step up, ensuring they can do so freely, without fear of intimidation, retribution, or being denied a ballot,” Jay Jones, the commonwealth’s first Black attorney general, said.
Meanwhile, activists are mobilizing their efforts, aiming to create a movement too significant to be ignored.
“Every major question of whether America will remain a democracy has been asked and answered in the South,” said LaTosha Brown, co-founder of Black Voters Matter. “Once again, we’re being asked, and our question is: Will America be a democratic nation with free and fair elections? That question is for America, but the South will answer it.”
