If Section 2 falls, Republican-controlled states are prepared to redraw maps immediately, targeting Black and Latino political power.
A new analysis shows 191 state legislative seats in the South could be erased, locking in one-party rule across multiple states.
The consequences extend far beyond elections, reshaping health care access, economic policy, and basic democratic accountability.
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Sam Osterhout sits down with Amir Badat to walk through why Louisiana v. Calais is not a niche legal fight but a direct threat to how democracy functions heading into 2026. Amir traces how Section 2 transformed representation after Jim Crow, why the current legal challenge flips the Constitution on its head, and how partisan gerrymandering is being used as cover for racial vote dilution.
Sam presses the stakes beyond representation, connecting map-rigging to real-world consequences like hospital closures, economic stagnation, and unchecked state power. The discussion also highlights a rare moment of resistance in Indiana, showing that political pressure can still work when lawmakers refuse to comply. What emerges is a stark choice between entrenched minority rule and a fight—still possible—for fair representation.
Tune in for Sam Osterhout and Amir Badat’s urgent breakdown of what’s at stake if the Supreme Court guts the Voting Rights Act—and what we can still do before the maps are redrawn.
Democrats’ Redistricting Efforts Must Focus on January 2029 to Avoid a Trump Coup
In the redistricting wars Republicans started in Texas, Democrats have focused on the wrong date. Every elected official and talking head jumping on the bandwagon points to November 2026.











