A Dangerous Choice for Democrats

Rick Hasen: “After the Supreme Court’s six Republican-appointed justices effectively dismantled a key part of the Voting Rights Act on Wednesday,attention has turned to how Republican legislatures may dismantle districts that help minority voters elect their candidate of choice and replace those districts with Republican gerrymanders.”

“But as bad as the redistricting prospects are for minority voters in Republican-run states after Louisiana v. Callais — and they are very bad — it’s worth considering how Democratic-run states too will have an incentive to dismantle some of these districts. The battle over whether to maximize the number of Democratic seats or provide effective minority representation in Congress and other legislative bodies could threaten the Democratic Party’s internal cohesion and long-term prospects.”

“To understand how clashes may emerge, begin with the fact that Black voters are far and away the most reliable source of Democratic support — in some places, Democrats win 90% of Black voters.”