A contemporary-day combat for voting rights is escalating in states throughout the nation as Republican-led efforts to redraw congressional maps goal Black and Latino voters to keep up President Donald Trump‘s management of Congress in 2027. If profitable, a number of Black members of Congress would lose their seats within the course of.
After Trump referred to as on Texas to provide his get together 5 extra seats within the Home, Republicans within the state drafted a brand new map—an uncommon motion contemplating redistricting is often tied to inhabitants counts carried out by the U.S. Census each 10 years (the final Census was in 2020). What’s extra, the map dilutes the voting energy of Black and Latino voters who sometimes vote for Democrats, splitting them as much as enhance the probability of districts favoring Republicans.
The Texas map dismantles the ninth Congressional District held by Rep. Al Inexperienced and the thirty third Congressional District represented by Rep. Marc Veasey, each Black Democrats, who must run in numerous districts to remain in Congress.
Since Republicans efficiently handed their new map in Texas, a number of lawsuits on behalf of Black and Latino voters have been filed, accusing the state of racial gerrymandering in violation of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Different maps concentrating on districts represented by Black congressional members are poised to comply with as Republicans work to assist Trump keep away from shedding management of Congress–and his capability to proceed executing his MAGA agenda–in subsequent yr’s 2026 midterm elections.
“These are deliberate, focused efforts to push folks of shade out of energy. Texas Republicans have already proven what this playbook seems to be like — and now the GOP is working to copy it nationwide. When Republicans can’t win honest elections, they rig the system to carry onto energy at any value,” Marcus W. Robinson, a DNC senior spokesperson, instructed theGrio.
“Throughout the nation, Republicans are waging a calculated marketing campaign to erase Black and Latino political energy via excessive gerrymandering. This isn’t nearly redrawing maps — it’s about dismantling illustration and silencing communities which have fought the toughest to be heard,” mentioned Robinson.
“From the South to the Midwest, GOP lawmakers are concentrating on districts held by Black and Latino leaders, undermining many years of progress to make sure honest illustration.”
This week, the Missouri state legislature handed a voting map just like Texas’s, concentrating on the district of Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, a Black Democrat representing Kansas Metropolis.
In Ohio, Republicans are aiming to cut up the thirteenth Congressional District represented by Rep. Emilia Sykes, a Black congresswoman whose district, in contrast to most members of the Congressional Black Caucus, is majority white.
In August, Vice President JD Vance met with Republican Indiana Gov. Mike Braun and state lawmakers to encourage them to name a particular session to redraw their maps, like Texas’s. Republicans are reportedly concentrating on the seventh Congressional District held by Democratic Rep. Andre Carson, the one Black member of the Indiana congressional delegation.
In Alabama and Louisiana, the place the Supreme Courtroom has dominated in favor of making a second majority-Black district to mirror the states’ giant Black populations, Republicans are reportedly aiming to put off what is called alternative districts. That might put Rep. Shomari Figures, who represents most of Montgomery, Ala., and Rep. Cleo Fields of Shreveport, La., in jeopardy of shedding their seats. Each Rep. Figures and Rep. Fields had been elected within the 2024 elections.
To be able to stay in Congress, Fields and Figures may need to, although unlikely, run in neighboring districts represented by fellow Black members of Congress: Louisiana Congressman Troy Carter and Alabama Congresswoman Terri Sewell.
Even longtime 85-year-old Congressman Jim Clyburn is reportedly within the crosshairs of Republicans in South Carolina, as GOP gubernatorial candidate Ralph Norman referred to as on his state to redraw maps, telling Fox Information that Clyburn is “not the form of illustration South Carolina wants.”
In response to the alarming variety of Black members of Congress in jeopardy of shedding their seats, the Congressional Black Caucus held a press convention on Sept. 9, vowing to combat again and assuring that the regulation is on their facet.
“The Republican Celebration led by Donald Trump’s congressional Republicans and the GOP leaders in state legislatures throughout this nation are systematically working to rig the upcoming election,” mentioned Rep. Yvette Clarke of New York, the chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus.
“Their technique is obvious. Dilute the voting energy of Black and brown communities to cling to energy by any means crucial.”
Clarke, flanked by a number of CBC members who stand to lose their seats if Republicans are profitable, continued, “If these racially gerrymandered maps are upheld within the courts, the Congressional Black Caucus may doubtlessly lose crucial seats, which might undermine many years of progress in securing honest illustration for our communities.”
The CBC chief mentioned Trump and Republicans are “decided to tug this nation again to a time when Black voices had been shut out of the democratic course of, and we won’t permit it.” She added, “This determined try to rig elections and erode Black political energy will likely be met with fierce resistance.”
Political analyst Reecie Colbert mentioned it ought to be no shock that so many members of the Congressional Black Caucus are being focused by Republicans.
“CBC is the conscience of the Congress they usually’re a strong voting block, and they’ll push and stand their floor in opposition to Donald Trump greater than anyone else,” Colbert instructed theGrio. She continued, “They’re not beholden to this so-called legendary white working class voter.”
The host of Sirius XM’s “The Reecie Colbert Present” mentioned plainly that President Trump “doesn’t imagine within the citizenship of Black folks.”
She defined, “And so in case you don’t imagine that Black folks ought to even be residents, then it follows that he doesn’t imagine that they need to be leaders.”
Colbert added, “I believe he actually has a deep animus and resentment seeing Black folks in positions of energy, from President [Barack] Obama to now with Consultant Jasmine Crockett.”
