Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) delivered a sharp rebuke of the Supreme Court on Sunday, condemning its decision to strike down Louisiana's congressional maps as a direct assault on voting rights. The ruling, issued earlier this week, invalidated the state's majority-Black district, eroding protections under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.
“Gerrymandering turns our elections on its head, so that rather than the people picking their politicians, the politicians are picking their voters,” Warnock told CBS News’s “Face the Nation.” His comments come amid a broader redistricting fight that is reshaping election landscapes across the country.
Supreme Court’s Decision Draws Fire
The high court determined that Louisiana’s district, drawn to boost Black voting power, violated legal standards. Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act prohibits voting practices that discriminate on the basis of race, but the ruling narrowed its application, sparking outrage from Democrats and civil rights advocates.
“What happened this week is nothing less than a massive and devastating blow, not only to our democracy, but particularly to people of color in the South,” Warnock said. He argued that the court’s focus on “intent” ignores a century of systematic disenfranchisement after the 15th Amendment formally granted Black men the right to vote.
“We had 100 years after the 15th Amendment was passed, which, on paper, gave Black people the right to vote, but with supposedly race-neutral methods,” Warnock said. “For 100 years, the right to vote was denied.”
Echoes of Shelby v. Holder
Warnock pointed to the 2013 Shelby County v. Holder decision, which gutted Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act—a provision that required jurisdictions with a history of discrimination to get federal approval before changing voting laws. Since then, he noted, the racial turnout gap has widened. The latest ruling, he said, adds fuel to that fire.
“The court hobbled Section 5, and now we see the gap wider and wider,” Warnock said. He called the decision “21st Century Jim Crow tactics in new clothes,” highlighting efforts to purge Black and Brown voters from rolls and alter precinct locations. The senator warned that the ruling greenlights further manipulation: “Even when you overcome those barriers and show up, your voices will be muted.”
This decision has already triggered new redistricting battles, with states like Alabama and Tennessee calling special sessions to redraw maps. Warnock described the situation as a “redistricting arms race” that the court has intensified.
Warnock’s Legislative Counter
To combat gerrymandering, Warnock has introduced the Redistricting Reform Act, which would establish independent redistricting commissions and ban mid-decade redistricting. He argued that such measures are essential to restoring democratic integrity.
“We will see a devastating impact as a result of this, and now, more than ever, we’ve got to stand up and fight for our democracy,” Warnock said. His push comes as other Democrats warn of a long fight ahead to protect minority voting power.
The ruling has galvanized Democratic opposition, with calls for Congress to strengthen the Voting Rights Act. But with a divided Capitol, Warnock acknowledged the uphill battle, urging voters to remain engaged. “This is about who we are as a nation,” he said. “We cannot let the court’s decision be the final word.”
